Visualized re-physicalization of captured physical signals and/or physical states

ABSTRACT

Briefly, embodiments disclosed herein may relate to re-physicalization of captured physical signals and/or sensor measurements and to generation of user-perceivable output content from a computing device based at least in part on the re-physicalization.

BACKGROUND

Field

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to re-physicalization ofcaptured physical signals and/or physical sensor measurements, such as,for example, for visualization.

Information

With today's computing and/or sensor technologies, increasingly largeamounts of sensor measurement content, such as in which raw sensormeasurements, for example, may be converted to a suitable format foruser consumption, may be gathered. For example, sensor measurements,such as from an audio sensor, an imaging sensor, an electriccurrent/voltage/frequency sensor, a traffic or flow sensor, atemperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an acceleration sensor, locationsensor and/or including many other types of measurement sensors, or anycombinations thereof, may contribute to gathering of large amounts ofmeasurements.

Today's visualization technologies typically employ aggregate charts,such as bar charts and/or line charts, for example, and/or may employdisplay of raw sensor measurements, such as, for example, scattercharts, time series charts, and/or even cartographic (map) projections.These approaches usually intend to provide a visual illustration forhuman consumption, such as by using a chart and/or a map, as described.Challenges associated with today's visualization technologies mayinclude better scalability of visualizations and/or more efficientcommunication of large amounts of sensor measurements to a user,including, for example, display of more dynamic content, such as sensormeasurement updates in real-time, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Claimed subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctlyclaimed in the concluding portion of the specification. However, both asto organization and/or method of operation, together with objects,features, and/or advantages thereof, it may best be understood byreference to the following detailed description if read with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system for re-physicalization,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of another example system forre-physicalization, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example process forre-physicalization, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of example sensor measurements forre-physicalization in a two-dimensional space, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of example sensor measurements and embeddedparticles in a two-dimensional space for re-physicalization, accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a re-physicalization illustration using spatial contouring,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a re-physicalization illustrations using spatial contouringincluding a bar chart, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an additional re-physicalization illustration using spatialcontouring including a bar chart, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example process forcontent aggregation and/or selective retention, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 10 is another re-physicalization illustration of an example processfor content aggregation and/or selective retention, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of an example time-series.

FIG. 12 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example time-series,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is another re-physicalization illustration of an exampletime-series, with an example time compression zone, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 14 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example phase space,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example using jitter,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example 2D renderingand an example volumetric (3D) rendering, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a re-physicalization illustration of an example layer/levelstructure, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example computing devicein accordance with an embodiment.

Reference is made in the following detailed description to accompanyingdrawings, which form a part hereof, wherein like numerals may designatelike parts throughout to indicate corresponding and/or analogouscomponents. It will be appreciated that components illustrated in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale, such as for simplicityand/or clarity of illustration. For example, dimensions of somecomponents may be exaggerated relative to other components. Further, itis to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized. Furthermore,structural and/or other changes may be made without departing fromclaimed subject matter. It should also be noted that directions and/orreferences, for example, up, down, top, bottom, and so on, may be usedto facilitate discussion of drawings and/or are not intended to restrictapplication of claimed subject matter. Therefore, the following detaileddescription is not to be taken to limit claimed subject matter and/orequivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

References throughout this specification to one implementation, animplementation, one embodiment, an embodiment and/or the like means thata particular feature, structure, and/or characteristic described inconnection with a particular implementation and/or embodiment isincluded in at least one implementation and/or embodiment of claimedsubject matter. Thus, appearances of such phrases, for example, invarious places throughout this specification are not necessarilyintended to refer to the same implementation or to any one particularimplementation described. Furthermore, it is to be understood thatparticular features, structures, and/or characteristics described arecapable of being combined in various ways in one or more implementationsand, therefore, are within intended claim scope, for example. Ingeneral, of course, these and other issues vary with context. Therefore,particular context of description and/or usage provides helpful guidanceregarding inferences to be drawn.

Likewise, in this context, the terms “coupled”, “connected,” and/orsimilar terms are used generically. It should be understood that theseterms are not intended as synonyms. Rather, “connected” is usedgenerically to indicate that two or more components, for example, are indirect physical, including electrical, contact; while, “coupled” is usedgenerically to mean that two or more components are potentially indirect physical, including electrical, contact; however, “coupled” isalso used generically to also mean that two or more components are notnecessarily in direct contact, but nonetheless are able to co-operateand/or interact. The term coupled is also understood generically to meanindirectly connected, for example, in an appropriate context.

The terms, “and”, “or”, “and/or” and/or similar terms, as used herein,include a variety of meanings that also are expected to depend at leastin part upon the particular context in which such terms are used.Typically, “or” if used to associate a list, such as A, B or C, isintended to mean A, B, and C, here used in the inclusive sense, as wellas A, B or C, here used in the exclusive sense. In addition, the term“one or more” and/or similar terms are used to describe any feature,structure, and/or characteristic in the singular and/or are also used todescribe a plurality and/or some other combination of features,structures and/or characteristics. Likewise, the term “based on” and/orsimilar terms are understood as not necessarily intending to convey anexclusive set of factors, but to allow for existence of additionalfactors not necessarily expressly described. Of course, for all of theforegoing, particular context of description and/or usage provideshelpful guidance regarding inferences to be drawn. It should be notedthat the following description merely provides one or more illustrativeexamples and claimed subject matter is not limited to these one or moreexamples; however, again, particular context of description and/or usageprovides helpful guidance regarding inferences to be drawn.

As mentioned, with today's computing and/or sensor technologies,increasingly large amounts of sensor measurements may be gathered andprocessed for presentation to a user as content in a variety of forms,including displays and/or plots, images, video, text, audio, etc. Forexample, sensor measurements, such as from an audio sensor, an imagingsensor, an electric current, voltage, and/or frequency sensor, a trafficand/or flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and/orincluding many other types of measurement sensors, or any combinationsthereof, may contribute to gathering large amounts of measurements, forexample, to be processed into user perceivable content.

Today's visualization technologies may employ aggregate charts, such asbar charts and/or line charts, for example, and/or may employ rawdisplays of measurements such as, for example, scatter charts, timeseries charts and/or even cartographic projections on a map, forexample. Challenges associated with today's visualization technologiesmay include appropriate scaling of visualizations and/or moreefficiently communicating large amounts of content, such as largeamounts of sensor measurement content, to a user, including, forexample, dynamic content, that may change in real-time in some cases,for example. As used herein, the term “visualization” and/or similarterms refer to providing computing-generated content (e.g., computingprocessed sensor measurements) to one or more users in a manner thatallows the one or more users to have a capability to perceive generatedcontent using one or more senses. Thus, it is not limited to visualsenses. For example, it may include hearing, as an example. Likewise,visualization may comprise displaying, playing, performing, executing,and/or otherwise rendering sensor measurements as content, such as viacomputing generated graphics, to one or more users to potentially betterand/or potentially more effectively aid in human analysis and/orevaluation, in an embodiment, although claimed subject matter is notlimited in scope in this respect. Similar to visualization, whichincludes more than simply visual senses, likewise, displaying and/orsimilar terms are not limited to human visual perception, but rather areintended to include performing, playing, executing and/or otherwiserendering in a manner to be perceivable by human senses. Thus, it isintended to refer to rendering content in a form so as to be capable ofbring perceivable by human senses, including, as examples, sight and/orhearing.

For example, conventional visualization and/or analysis systems may beemployed for business intelligence and/or geographic systems, such as,for example, systems designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze,manage and/or present geographical content, and/or situational awarenesssystems, for example. Situational awareness systems may include, forexample, systems designed to aid in perceiving contextual and/orenvironmental elements with respect to time and/or space, for example.Conventional visualization and/or analysis systems, for example, such asthose categories of systems mentioned above, may comprise, for example,aggregate charts, such as bar charts and/or line charts, for example,raw display of sensor measurements in the form of scatter charts and/ortime series charts of one or more variables, for example, and/or aseparate “geospatial view” of variables, such as showing points, linesand/or polygons on a map using a cartographic projection and/or someother spatial embedding, for example. Further, conventionalvisualization technologies may employ user interface menus and/orpointing devices, such as, for example, a computer mouse, to interactwith a visualization and/or to make a selection on a chart and/or todraw an area to make a selection on a spatial view and/or to invokeadditional processing by a back-end analytical system, for example.

Example challenges that may be faced but not overcome by conventionalvisualization technologies may include, for example, enabling a user tovisually associate content shown on separate charts with content shownon separate spatial maps and/or scaling visualization systems in amanner so as to more efficiently perform evaluation and/or analysis withlarge amounts of available sensor measurements, including, for example,hundreds, thousands, millions, billions or even greater amounts ofsamples, including dynamic content. Other example challenges may includebetter scaling of content in visualization systems, performing moreefficiently in a real-time mode, showing more effectively and/or withless delay time evolution of larger amounts of time-dependent variables,supporting analytical decisions by providing real-time suitablyprocessed content from sensors including better support of planningsystems and/or more near-term decision support systems. An additionalchallenge faced by conventional techniques may include allowingnon-expert users to make better use of visualization systems, such as inan intuitive way. For example, conventional systems do not generallylend themselves to being intuitively comprehended to support evaluationand/or analysis of large amounts of available sensor measurements.However, it may be desirable for measurements to be processed and/orpresented in real-time in a manner that is more intuitive with humanexperience so that comprehension and/or decision making in light ofavailable measurements may be more accurate, accomplished with lesseffort and/or with less delay. Of course, these are merely examplechallenges that may be faced by conventional visualization technologies.

Conventional visualization systems may approach scalability challengesby pre-aggregating and/or filtering before display to a user, forexample. Doing so may, therefore, limit user choices and, hence, limiteffective use of user intuition to make judgments. Conventionalvisualization systems may also approach scalability challenges byshowing only exceptions and/or detected anomalies to a user. Suchapproaches to scalability challenges may pre-suppose sets of choicesregarding category types and/or extent of anomalies and/or aggregationsto be shown, for example. For example, a pre-set limit may be used tofilter so that only values beyond a limiting value are visualized. Asanother example, a visualization may only show counts of anomaliesgrouped into large spatial regions. Again, doing so may limit userchoices and/or limit effective use of intuition that may aid and/orsupport analysis.

Embodiments in accordance with claimed subject matter may providetechniques to visualize, analyze, evaluate and/or interact withprocessed content, models, and/or web browser-type contentvisualizations, including applications, on a computing device, forexample, in a manner that may provide visualization approaches that aremore intuitive, have improved scalability, and/or may offer someself-executing features to aid comprehension. In addition tovisualization, embodiments may include techniques that may allow a userto interact with virtual representations of processed content using oneor a combination of human senses, as explained more fully below.

Algorithmic descriptions and/or symbolic representations are examples oftechniques used by those of ordinary skill in the signal processingand/or related arts to convey the substance of their work to othersskilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, is consideredto be a self-consistent sequence of operations and/or similar signalprocessing leading to a desired result. In this context, operationsand/or processing involve physical manipulation of physical quantities.Typically, although not necessarily, such quantities may take the formof electrical and/or magnetic signals and/or states capable of beingstored, transferred, combined, compared, processed or otherwisemanipulated as electronic signals and/or states representing variousforms of content, such as signal measurements, text, images, video,audio, etc. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasonsof common usage, to refer to such physical signals and/or physicalstates as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers,numerals, measurements, content and/or the like. It should beunderstood, however, that all of these and/or similar terms are to beassociated with appropriate physical quantities and are merelyconvenient labels. Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparentfrom the preceding discussion, it is appreciated that throughout thisspecification discussions utilizing terms such as “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining”, “establishing”, “obtaining”,“identifying”, “selecting”, “generating”, and/or the like may refer toactions and/or processes of a specific apparatus, such as a specialpurpose computer and/or a similar special purpose computing and/ornetwork device. In the context of this specification, therefore, aspecial purpose computer and/or a similar special purpose computingand/or network device is capable of processing, manipulating and/ortransforming physical signals and/or states, typically represented asphysical electronic and/or magnetic quantities within memories,registers, and/or other storage devices, transmission devices, and/ordisplay devices of a special purpose computer and/or similar specialpurpose computing and/or network device. In the context of thisparticular patent application, as mentioned, the term “specificapparatus” may include a general purpose computing and/or networkdevice, such as a general purpose computer, once it is programmed toperform particular functions pursuant to instructions from programsoftware.

In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change instate from a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa, for example, maycomprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Withparticular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation maycomprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state orthing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memorydevices, a change in state may involve an accumulation and/or storage ofcharge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices,a change of state may comprise a physical change, such as atransformation in magnetic orientation and/or a physical change and/ortransformation in molecular structure, such as from crystalline toamorphous or vice-versa. In still other memory devices, a change inphysical state may involve quantum mechanical phenomena, such as,superposition, entanglement, and/or the like, which may involve quantumbits (qubits), for example. The foregoing is not intended to be anexhaustive list of all examples in which a change in state form a binaryone to a binary zero or vice-versa in a memory device may comprise atransformation, such as a physical transformation. Rather, the foregoingis intended as illustrative examples.

In an embodiment, for example, captured physical signals and/or physicalstates may be re-physicalized, as explained below. Also, in anembodiment, graphics for display may be generated based at least in parton re-physicalization of captured physical signals and/or physicalstates, as also explained below.

Re-physicalization refers to a type of physical signal and/or physicalstate transformation that may be made with respect to, as an example,but not necessarily limited to, sensor measurements, such as from anaudio sensor, an imaging sensor, an electric current/voltage/frequencysensor, a traffic or flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressuresensor, including many other types of measurement sensors, orcombinations thereof. As an example, an electrical signal (or series ofsignals) may be received and/or transmitted that represents a sensormeasurement. Likewise, if the signal is stored, such as in memory, itmay become a physical state, such as a memory state (e.g., thatrepresents a sensor measurement). A typical, non-limiting, example mayinclude one or more signal packets in which a payload of a packet, forexample, represents one or more sensor measurements in a binary digitalsignal form.

Re-physicalization in this particular context, more specifically, refersto assigning additional or replacement physical attributes to affectedsignal(s) and/or state(s) in which those attributes being assignedrelate to physical manifestations capable of being emulated, such as inaccordance with specified virtual physical laws, at least partially inaccordance with the particular measurement of the affected signalsand/or states. Therefore, attributes being manifested may relate to, butnonetheless, be in addition to or instead of existing signal and/orstate attributes prior to re-physicalization.

Thus, in this context, re-physicalization transformation permits asignal and/or state to acquire a form in which it may be capable ofbeing perceived more easily and/or more effectively by human senses. Apotential benefit, as described in more detail later, includes apotential for a capability to comprehend measurements using forms ofhuman intuition that may relate to human experience about the physicalworld. Some of these intuitions, for example, may have developed overthousands of years of human evolution, for example; whereas in theabsence of re-physicalization, comprehension regarding measurementcontent of a signal and/or state might be more difficult to accomplishin a meaningful manner and/or in a speedy manner.

In this context, terms including “physical world”, “physical laws”, realworld”, “actual world” and/or similar terminology refer to physicalmanifestations capable of being experienced by human senses and alsomeasurable by sensors in accordance with physical laws that arecurrently believed to govern physical events and/or phenomena. Thus,sensors are able to collect measurements about the “physical world” inaccordance with “physical laws” that govern. As an example, the laws ofmotion are believed to be well-understand and govern motion in thephysical world; thus, an accelerometer, as an example, is able tocollect measurements substantially in accordance with such laws. Thereare a host of other such physical law examples.

By contrast, in this context, the term “virtual environment”, “virtualworld” and/or similar terms refers to an environment that exists throughcomputing, graphics and/or through creation of content capable of beingperceived through human senses, such as sight and/or hearing, forexample. However, it otherwise does not exist in the so-called physicalworld, but may be a representation at least in part of aspects of thephysical world. Thus, for example, an animation playable on a displaysystem provides an example of a virtual world. Typically, a virtualenvironment, although not necessarily limited by physical laws governingthe physical world, may nonetheless mimic aspects of the physical world.Although in some contexts, this may have been done in the past forentertainment value, such as in computer gaming; for example, here it isdone at least in part as a potential aid to human comprehension, asalluded to previously. Thus, in this context, terms such as “virtualphysical object” and/or “virtual physical law” refer to mimickingaspects of the physical world within a virtual world and/or virtualenvironment. Likewise, physical attributes of the physical world, suchas temperature, mass, volume, etc. may be mimicked in a virtual world asvirtual physical attributes.

Thus, as discussed in more detail below and illustrated through variousexamples, re-physicalization in this context refers to a process inwhich sensor measurements about physical attributes of the physicalworld are collected and transformed in a manner so as to reflectadditional and/or different attributes than the physical attributes ofthe physical world that the measurements initially characterized, whilenonetheless preserving reasonable consistency with initially collected‘physical world’ measurement attributes. For example, measurementscollected may be transformed to represent, in addition, differentphysical attributes (e.g., virtual physical attributes) about thephysical world, or may be transformed to represent, in addition, virtualattributes that do not exist in the physical world, but are capable ofbeing represented in a virtual world as content perceivable by a user,such as by being displayed, played, performed, executed and/or otherwiserendered. Again, as suggested and explained in more detail, such as byexample illustrations, transformation to another form and/or additionalform perceivable by a user, for example, may potentially result inbetter and/or faster human comprehension. Of course, illustrativeexamples provided below are intended to be within claimed subjectmatter; however, claimed subject matter is not limited to illustrativeexamples.

It is noted in this context that physical manifestations capable ofbeing emulated through re-physicalization are intended to behavesubstantially in accordance with actual, known physical manifestations.Likewise, however, physical manifestations to be emulated throughre-physicalization also have a potential to behave in accordance withnon-physical manifestations (e.g., virtual manifestations) that are notknown and/or do not exist. To be more specific, physical signals and/orstates may be re-physicalized in a manner that may be in accordance witha virtual world, rather than simply the real world (e.g., physicalworld).

Thus, in this context, re-physicalization refers to transformation ofone or more signals and/or states in which affected signals and/orstates are projected from the physical or real world into a virtualworld, which by design, includes principles, natural and/or non-natural,that may affect that virtual world. The virtual world, nonetheless, asindicated, is capable of being experienced through human senses, such asvisually and/or sonically, not unlike animation, although, here, unlikeanimation, one or more underlying real world physical signals and/orphysical states are being represented so that measurement content in theform of one or more signals and/or states may be more easilycomprehended using intuition and/or experience related to human senses.

Thus, re-physicalization may provide one or more potential benefits.These include leveraging existing technology so that sensormeasurements, for example, may be captured and represented in real-timeto a user through a re-physicalization transformation that permits auser to view real-time or current measurements; however,re-physicalization, as discussed in more detail by examples below, mayalso permit sensor measurements to be presented in a manner for quickerand/or easier human consumption, and/or even perhaps deepercomprehension, as a result of intuition and/or experience that mayrelate to use of human senses.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example embodiment 100 of a system forre-physicalization, including an example embodiment 120 of are-physicalization module and an example embodiment 130 of auser-perceivable output generation module. It is noted that “module”and/or similar terminology refers to executable instructions installedon one or more computing device; however, a module may likewise comprisefirmware, hardware, or a combination of the foregoing. As used herein,“user-perceivable output signals” comprise output signals, such as froma computing device that may be played, performed, executed, displayedand/or otherwise rendered in a manner to be experienced by one or moresenses of one or more users. For example, in an embodiment,user-perceivable output signal generation module 130 may comprise agraphics generation module that is able to generate signals for adisplay.

Also, in an embodiment, one or more identified content objects (ICO),such as 112 and/or 114, may be re-physicalized via re-physicalizationmodule 120, for example. In one or more embodiments, the term“identified content object” (ICO refers to a binary digital signalrepresentation of physical signal content collected from physicalobjects and/or events, for example, that may have been transformed intoa digital signal form; a binary digital signal representation of virtualcontent that may have been generated, or a binary digital signalrepresentation of a combination. Thus, ICOs may comprise sensormeasurements in binary digital signal form as a result of signaltransformation and/or signal processing, for example.

In an embodiment, re-physicalization module 120 may generate one or morevirtual physical objects (VPOs) based at least in part on one or moreICOs, such as 112 and/or 114, and/or attributes thereof. The term“virtual physical object” (VPO) and/or similar terms refer to a binarydigital representation of content endowed with one or more physicalproperties in a virtual environment (e.g., virtual physical properties).For example, sensor measurements and/or ICOs, which comprise sensormeasurements in binary digital signal form, for example, may have beencollected from physical objects and/or events and may have beentransformed to be rendered for a virtual environment or may have beentransformed so as to be renderable for a virtual environment. Likewise,virtual physical properties may be generated for a VPO without anunderlying physical world basis. As suggested, in an embodiment, a VPOmay comprise one or more ICOs that may have additional or replacementvirtual physical properties, for example. Also, in an embodiment, a VPOmay be generated, such as via executable instructions in one exampleembodiment, to follow specified virtual physical laws, such as, forexample, virtual physical laws of motion. One or more individual VPOsmay also interact in a virtual environment that is capable of beingexecuted via a computing device, for example.

In an example embodiment, one or more VPOs may be implemented as part ofone or more particle systems executable by a computing system and/ordevice. For example, a particle system may be executed utilizing one ormore graphics processors. As an example, a video game and/or computergame type engine, in an embodiment, may be implemented on a computingsystem. In this context, the terms “video game,” “computer game,” “PCgame” and/or similar terms refer to a game executable on a generalpurpose computing device, such as a computer. For convenience, the term“game” may be employed to refer to the foregoing. Likewise, a game typeengine and/or similar terms, therefore, in this context, refers toexecutable instructions providing a framework for development of games(e.g., video games, computer games, PC games, etc.)

A system may, in an embodiment, utilize one or more particle systems ina quantitative and/or qualitative manner to re-physicalize content, suchas for visualization, so as to enable users to more easily comprehendcomplex and/or dynamic types of content. In an embodiment, particlesimplemented as one or more VPOs, for example, may comprise a range ofcharacteristics, including, but not limited to, size, color, shape,texture, transparency, mass, density, charge, and/or lifetime, forexample. However, claimed subject matter is not limited in scope toillustrative examples, such as the foregoing.

For an example embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 1, re-physicalizationmodule 120 may determine an evolution and/or appearance for one or moreVPOs in a virtual environment in accordance to one or more specifiedvirtual physical laws, for example. Also, in an embodiment,re-physicalization module 120 may also mediate interactions between VPOsand user(s) of a system. In an embodiment, re-physicalization module 120may comprise a process that may, for example, employ a variety oftechniques, such as from computer science, artificial intelligence,computational theory, control theory, system theory, etc., in a mannerto generate and/or manage re-physicalization, such as re-physicalizedvisualizations, for example. Embodiments disclosed herein may provide avariety of new types of capabilities including, for example,“self-organization” of VPOs with or without guidance from a user, easiervisual association between chart-style views and/or spatial/geospatialtype (e.g., map) views, improved techniques for selecting subsets ofcontent, and/or goal/objective enhancement in a manner so that that auser may, if desired, direct, monitor and/or assign computationalresources, for example, to a process for managing performance, toprovide a few sample examples.

Example embodiment 100 of a re-physicalization system may comprise aninterface, such as user interface 140, for example, that may providemediation between user actions and/or gestures taking place in aphysical world that nonetheless may affect one or more VPOs within avirtual world, for example. Thus, an interface, such as 140, may providemediation between VPOs in a virtual world and user actions and/orgestures in a physical world. Also, referring again to user-perceivableoutput signal module 130 (also referred to as output signal module), forexample, a user may experience re-physicalization via 2D and/or 3Dvisual displays, and/or may also experience re-physicalization throughvisualization which may include other human senses in addition to visualsensing, as previously mentioned, including, for example, sound (e.g.,audio sensing) and/or physical feedback (e.g., tactile sensing), in anembodiment. Likewise, re-physicalization may also be experienced by auser by way of a virtual physical representation other than a virtualenvironment generated via a display coupled to a computing device. Forexample, 3D printing may perhaps be employed.

Although one or more embodiments described herein may providere-physicalization by way of visualization, claimed subject matter isnot limited in scope in these respects. For example, in an embodiment,through example techniques for re-physicalization of one or moreidentified content objects, a user experience may take or includenon-visual form, such as, for example, as previously explained. In thissense, re-physicalization of ICOs may be understood to comprise ICOstaking a virtual physical form in a virtual environment, such as may beprovided via a computing device, for example, coupled to a display, andmay also be understood to comprise expressing a virtual physical form ofan ICO to a user, such as by playing, executing, performing and/orotherwise rendering for human senses, as previously discussed.

Embodiments in accordance with claimed subject matter may be utilizedfor a broad range of content types including, but not limited to, rawcontent, time-series content, pre-analyzed (aggregated) content,structured content, semi-structured content, unstructured content,and/or modeled content, including machine-learning and statistical modeltype content, for example. Embodiments in accordance with claimedsubject matter may also be utilized in “batch” modes, “streaming” modes,and/or “micro-batch” modes. Example systems that may provide streamingand/or micro-batch content may include Apache Storm, Apache Spark,and/or message queuing systems, although claimed subject matter is notlimited in scope in these respects.

Additionally, embodiments may be implemented utilizing a wide variety ofdevices and/or interfaces, such as, for example, small personalcomputing devices and/or large wall board displays that may be found insome situations in operations control rooms. Embodiments in accordancewith claimed subject matter may also be implemented in a distributedmanner across multiple computing devices, for example.

In an embodiment, intuitive understanding and/or interactive ease of usemay be derived from assignment of physical properties, such as, forexample, physical laws of motion, to govern behavior of virtual objectsin a way that may mimic properties and/or behaviors of physical objects,even if an underlying content object and/or model may not correspond toa physical object currently known to exist in the physical world.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an example system for re-physicalization,according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, a user, such as user 270,may exist in physical world 200. User 270 may interact with a virtualenvironment, such as virtual environment 230, by way of one or moreinterfaces, such as user interfaces 260, for example. In an embodiment,virtual environment 230 may comprise an executable application on acomputing device, such as computing device 210. Also, in an embodiment,interactions between virtual environment 230 and physical world 200,such as virtual to physical or physical to virtual, may be managed byone or more interface managers, such as, for example, interface managers250, in an embodiment. Further, although some embodiments describedherein may mention a single virtual environment, other embodiments mayextend to multiple virtual environments, including, for example, hiddenvirtual environments and/or parallel virtual environments, for example.

In an embodiment, a wide range of ICO types may be handled in a systemin which re-physicalization takes places, such as the example systemdepicted in FIG. 2, for example. ICO types may include, for example, rawand/or aggregated content entering a system via streaming, for example,as depicted with streaming ICOs 222, and/or may be loaded into a systemin a batch mode, for example, such as depicted with batch-mode ICOs 224,in an embodiment. An example computational environment for combiningbatch and/or stream operations may comprise an Apache Spark environment,in an embodiment, for example.

ICOs may originate from and/or may be generated from measurementsrelating to one or more physical manifestations and/or phenomena, suchas may be provided by one or more sensors, in an embodiment. Forexample, sensors located in cellular telephones, other mobile electronicdevices and/or other computing devices may provide ICOs and/ormeasurements for use in generation of one or more ICOs, in anembodiment, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope inthese respects. Also, in an embodiment, a system employingre-physicalization may include content objects in other more complexforms and/or higher level forms, such as content objects 226 s that may,for example, be generated externally and/or previously, for example.Other visual representations of content, such as visualization contentobjects 228, may comprise, for example, a static bitmap visualizationand/or other image, a video, and/or a uniform resource locator (URL) ofcontent in a web-browser type visualization form. For example, a URL ofcontent in a web-browser type visualization form may comprise a chartgenerated on a business intelligence system, in an embodiment. Ofcourse, claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to particularexamples described herein.

In an embodiment, a re-physicalizer, such as re-physicalizer component220, may assign a virtual physical object (VPO) of a specified typeand/or with a specified set of physical properties to particular ICOs.In a situation wherein one or more VPOs are present in a virtualenvironment, such as virtual environment 230, re-physicalizer 220 mayupdate virtual physical properties, as appropriate, based at least inpart on more recent sensor measurements, for example. However, at leastin part in response to a determination that an appropriate VPO is notpresent and/or has not been generated, re-physicalizer 220 may signal toan injector component 240 to generate one or more VPOs. Generated VPOsmay then be placed or injected into a virtual environment, such as 230,for example. Over time, one or more VPOs may evolve and/or behavesubstantially according to a set of principles specifically created forthe virtual environment in which the VPOs reside. These principles maybe managed at least in part by a virtual environment manager (alsocalled a virtualization manager), such as 242, in an embodiment.

Also depicted in FIG. 2 in an illustrative system is a performancemanager, such as performance manager 244. In an embodiment, performancemanager 244 may operate to manage performance at least in part inaccordance with one or more specified performance measures. A user maybenefit at least partially due to an at least approximate correspondencebetween a virtual environment situation and a physical world situation.For example, sensors monitoring various aspects of an energy grid mayprovide sensor measurements to re-physicalizer 220, which may includeand/or result in ICOs, for example. Thus, VPOs may be placed intovirtual environment 230 by injector 240 related to sensor measurementsand/or ICOs. VPOs associated with the energy grid may operate withinvirtual environment 230 in accordance with virtual physical laws, whichmay be managed by virtual environment manager 242, in an embodiment.Performance manager 244 may operate substantially in accordance with avariety of possible performance measures, which may, for example, atleast in part reduce costs associated with energy generation and/ordistribution, reduce volatility of energy generation from renewablesources, reduce risk and/or reduce associated impacts of certainundesirable energy grid related events and/or provide other beneficialeffects, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope inthese respects.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment 300 of are-physicalization process. In an embodiment, sensors, such as sensors380, may collect ICOs, such as ICOs 375, generated and/or collected fromphysical objects and/or events, such as 370. Also in an embodiment,sensor measurements and/or ICOs may be provided from one or moresensors, such as sensors 380, to a collector component for collectingmeasurements and/or ICOs, such as 310. Further, virtual ICOs, such asICOs 365 may be generated in connection with virtual objects, events,and/or content sources 360, may also be provided to 310, in anembodiment.

Embodiment 300 of an example process for re-physicalization may thusinclude a re-physicalization component 320 that may receive ICOs,indicated by arrow 311, from collector 310 to generate one or more VPOs,for example. Re-physicalization component 320 may generate one or moreVPOs, indicated by arrow 321, based at least in part on ICOs 311,received from content collector 310, for example. In an embodiment, are-physicalization component may generate one or more virtual physicalmanifestations, such as for one or more VPOs. Thus, 320 may generate oneor more VPOs, such as for a virtual environment, for example, to beexecuted on a computing device, in an embodiment. An evolution component(not shown), which may be included within 320, in an embodiment, maymanage behavior of one or more VPOs, within a virtual environment. Anevolution component may also manage evolution and/or aging of contentobjects, such as one or more VPOs, for example, and/or may also manageretention activities for one or more VPOs, in an embodiment, discussedin more detail later by example.

In an embodiment, a user, such as user 390, may interact with one ormore VPOs, for example, such as those present within a virtualenvironment, by way of one or more interfaces 350. For example, user 390may interact with a visualization of a virtual environment on a displaycoupled to a computing device in an embodiment, and/or may providecontent input by way of a pointing device, such as, for example, acomputer mouse, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scopein these respects. Of course, other types of user interactions arepossible in one or more embodiments.

For example, a spatial contouring visualization may be generated and/ormay be displayed to user 390 by way of one or more interfaces, such as350. Conversely, in an embodiment, a physical interaction from user 390,such as, for example, a mouse click and/or hand gesture, may betranslated into an appropriate virtual effect and/or action for avirtual environment by re-physicalization component 320. Additionally,in an embodiment, user 390 may interact with one or more sensors 380,such as, for example, directing a camera, to provide additional ICOs tocontent collector 310, for example. Thus, a user may act on a system,such as 300, by way of interfaces 350. Further, in an embodiment, a usermay be monitored, for example, by sensors, such as sensors 380, that maygenerate one or more ICOs, such as for system 300 in this example. Thus,for an embodiment, an end user, such as 390, may be sensed like any of awide range of other physical objects, in an embodiment. For example,sensors may also include cameras that may be utilized to track usermovements, and/or may include bio-sensors to monitor a user forbiological indicia, such as heart rate, respiration, temperature, etc.,for example. Additionally, devices for measuring brainwaves (e.g. viaEEG) and/or emotional state of a user may be utilized to generate one ormore ICOs in an embodiment. Also, in an embodiment, a sensor may includea magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. For example, an MRI may mapand/or detect brain activity that may provide measurements and/or ICOsto be re-physicalized, in an embodiment.

In an embodiment, one or more virtual physical objects may comprise anyof a wide range of VPO types. For example, in an embodiment, a “VPO” maycomprise one or more individual objects, such as based at least in parton an individual or multiple ICOs, for example. An “aggregate VPO” maycomprise one or more aggregates of multiple content objects, forexample. A “model VPO” may comprise one or more statistical models,including one or more machine learning models, for example. A“combination VPO” may, for example, comprise one or more models based atleast in part on a combination of at least two of the following: one ormore content objects, one or more aggregate content objects, and/or oneor more statistical models.

Also, in an embodiment, a “selector VPO” may select one or more otherVPOs and/or “spatial” areas of a virtual environment as a result ofcontact, proximity, and/or collision with one or more other VPOs, forexample. Additionally, in an embodiment, an “embedded VPO” may compriseone or more signal and/or state values at one or more locations in anembedded space in a virtual environment. In this context, “embeddedspace” and/or similar terms refer to a virtual physical space in avirtual environment that may be embedded within another virtual physicalspace (verify). For example, a two-dimensional embedded space maycomprise a grid of VPOs that may comprise discretized signal and/orstate values of one or more continuous signals, for example, across aplane. One or more embedded VPOs may also represent non-continuoussignals and/or states, of course, in an embodiment, includingcombinations of continuous with non-continuous signals and/or states.One or more embedded VPOs comprising non-continuous signals and/orstates may be utilized, for example, in a social-network type diagramand/or as vertices in a graph (e.g., signal flow graph), in anembodiment, for example. Of course, claimed subject matter is notlimited in scope in these respects.

Additional VPO types may include, for example, a “browser VPO” that maycomprise an embedded web browser in a virtual environment, in anembodiment. A “projection VPO” may comprise a projection of one or moreVPOs in higher dimensions to fewer dimensions, such as to one, two, orthree virtual dimensions plus a virtual time dimension for visualizationand/or animation, in an embodiment. Further, an “action VPO” maycomprise a VPO utilized for at least partially controlling and/or atleast partially triggering actions, such as with respect to one or moreother VPOs, for example. Also, in an embodiment, an “asset VPO” maycomprise a representation one or more relatively large physical objects,such as, for example, heavy equipment. For example, an asset VPO mayrepresent a building, vehicle, a power transformer, etc. Again, claimedsubject matter is not limited in scope in these respects.

Further VPO types may include a “resource VPO” that may comprisephysical resources that may be assignable to one or more physical tasks,in an embodiment. For example, a resource VPO may comprise people,equipment, buildings, etc. Another example VPO type may include acomputing resource VPO. In an embodiment, a computing resource VPO maycomprise computing and/or computer type resources that may be tasked,for example, to implement a virtual world/environment. Example resourceVPOs may include, but are not limited to, central processing unit(s),graphics processing unit(s), memory, including secondary storage, etc.An “environmental VPO” may represent one or more elements of a physicalenvironment, in an embodiment. Example VPOs, such as those mentionedabove, may enable a user to visualize within a virtual environmentprogress and/or evolution of a process, approach, and/or technique aheadof engaging in physical implementation, for example. Additionally, auser may monitor progress of a virtual process comprising one or moreVPOs in a virtual environment and/or may interact with one or more VPOsin a virtual environment to, at least in part, affect progress of avirtual process, for example, as a potential aid to understanding.

In an embodiment, a VPO may be generated at least in part in response toany of a number of situations, conditions, and/or actions. For example,a VPO may be generated at least in part in response to receiving one ormore ICOs and/or to one or more actions initiated a user, in anembodiment. One or more VPOs may also be generated at least in partspontaneously by self-generation, and/or may be generated from anotherVPO, in an embodiment. Also, in an embodiment, one or more VPOs may begenerated at least in part by a process that may generate one or moreVPOs, for example, at specified times and/or at specified rates perunits of time, for example. Additionally, one or more VPOs may begenerated at least in part as a by-product of a reaction of two or moreother VPOs that may interact within a virtual environment and/or may begenerated at least in part in response to a deterministic and/orstatistical process, for example, in an embodiment. Again, claimedsubject matter is not limited in scope to specific examples mentionedherein.

Additionally, in an embodiment, one or more VPOs may exist for a finiteamount of time. For example, one or more VPOs may be destroyed,terminated and/or simply cease, such as at least in part in response toone or more incoming ICOs and/or in at least in part in response toconsumption over time, in an embodiment. Likewise, one or more VPOs maybe destroyed, terminated, and/or cease after passage of a specifiedamount of time. For example, a VPO may decay at least in part over aperiod of time, and/or may cease completely from decay over a period oftime, for example. Decay and/or other characteristics for a VPO relatedto a VPO being terminated, destroyed and/or ceasing within a virtualenvironment may be made a property of a VPO, such as, at VPO generation,in an embodiment.

In another embodiment, virtual physical properties of particles (e.g.,one or more VPOs) may include reactive and/or chemical-type properties.For example, two particles of different types may react and “cancel eachother out” such that they may be removed from a virtual environment. Inan alternative embodiment, two particles of different types may combineto form a third particle type, for example.

Further, in an embodiment, one or more VPOs may exit from a virtualenvironment via a “sink,” which may comprise a specified characteristicof a virtual environment, for example. In another example, in anembodiment, one or more VPOs may be consumed at least in part in areaction with one or more other VPOs and/or may be explicitly removed atleast in part in response to user action. In one or more embodiments,techniques to destroy, terminate, cease and/or remove one or more VPOsmay be implemented as part of a content retention policy, discussedlater as an illustration, although claimed subject matter is not limitedin scope in these respects.

As mentioned above, virtual physical properties and/or virtual laws ofmotion governing one or more VPOs may enable a user to interact with oneor more VPOs through one or more interfaces. For example, a user mayinteract with one or more VPOs through physical gestures on atouch-sensitive interface, in an embodiment. Additionally, as alsomentioned above, one or more VPOs may interact with each other and/ormay self-organize without human user intervention, in an embodiment.Further, in an embodiment, one or more individual VPOs and/or one ormore groups of VPOs may evolve into structures within a virtualenvironment for a variety of reasons, including, as an example, at leastin part for purposes of user interpretation and/or user interaction, forexample. In an embodiment, VPO structuring for purposes at least in partof user interpretation and/or interaction with may occur at variouslevels of a hierarchy, also discussed later by illustration.

In one or more embodiments, several aspects of “time” may be employed inconnection with a re-physicalization implementation. For example,physical time may be represented, time within a particular virtualenvironment may be represented, and what may be referred to as“wall-clock time” may be included. In an embodiment, physical time maycomprise a time stamp, such as marking a point in time at which a sensormeasurement may be captured, for example. Also, in an embodiment, for avirtual environment, a virtual passage of time may occur that does notnecessarily correspond to physical time. In an embodiment, time in avirtual environment may affect, at least in part, evolution of one ormore VPOs according to specified virtual physical laws. Further, in anembodiment, wall-clock time may refer to a point in time experiencedand/or observed by a user in a physical location where the user may bephysically present. Embodiments in accordance with claimed subjectmatter may make use of some, all, or none of the various aspects of timedescribed herein. In an embodiment, visualizations, for example, may beexecuted, performed, played and/or otherwise rendered at rates slower,faster, and/or equal to physical passage of time. For example, time in avirtual environment may run slower, faster, and/or equal to physicaltime. Likewise, differences between physical and virtual time mayinclude a time offset (e.g., one hour), a fixed ratio (e.g., 100 secondsof virtual time is 1 second of physical time), and/or a variety of otherapproaches. In an embodiment, flexibility such as the foregoing mayenable more than simply speeding up or slowing down of a visual replay.Rather, for example, by enabling time evolution under laws of a virtualenvironment, a quasi-steady state, for example, may be achieved, such aswithin a small increment of physical time.

Further, in an embodiment, an individual VPO may be converted from onetype to another and/or may have one or more characteristics altered atleast in part in response to changes as a result of sensor measurements,for example. For example, one or more VPOs may change type and/or mayhave one or more characteristics altered at least in part in response toadditional measurements, tests, and/or classifications of measurementcontent, in an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an illustration depicting example discrete points for are-physicalization example, such as points 410, representative ofrespective example measurement content in a two-dimensional space 400,according to an embodiment. For the example depicted in FIG. 4, contentmeasurement values are depicted as being known at particular locations.In an embodiment, points 410 may comprise ICOs derived at least in partfrom sensor measurement components and/or characteristics of an energygrid system. For example, individual ICOs may comprise measurements insignal form generated from sensors regarding, as examples, voltage,current, and/or temperature, and/or may comprise physicalcharacteristics of an energy grid, such as transformer type and/orlocation, in an embodiment. Of course, this is merely one sampleillustration, and claimed subject matter is not limited in scope toillustrations.

FIG. 5 is a further illustration of example points, such as points 410,juxtaposed with example embedded particles, such as embedded particles510, in a two-dimensional space for a re-physicalization example,according to an embodiment. At FIG. 5, points 410 representingrespective ICOs are depicted as they are in FIG. 4. However, FIG. 5, inan embodiment, further introduces a spatial grid of “embedded” particles510. In an embodiment, as an illustrative, but non-limiting example,individual embedded particles of a spatial grid of particles may resultin re-physicalization of FIG. 4 ICOs, such as with one or moreproperties generated as a function of distance between individual points410 and individual embedded particles to generate spatial contouringcomprising a plurality of VPOs, for example. In an embodiment, asmentioned, points 410 may comprise content measurements associated withan energy grid, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scopein this respect.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of spatial contouring as a result ofre-physicalization, according to an embodiment. For the example, in FIG.6, an embedded grid 610 may be based, at least in part, on a sum overpoints 410 of a function of distance between individual embeddedparticles 510 and respective points 410, in an embodiment. Thus, in thisillustration, greyscale coloring of embedded particles 510 in FIG. 6visually depicts influence of points 410 over distance by visualizingembedding particles 510. For the example of FIG. 6, points 410 are notexpressly depicted. Rather, locations of points 410 may be visuallyinferred from the centers of spatial patterns generated fromre-physicalization of embedding particles 510, in an embodiment.Although publishing restrictions limit use of color in patent figures,an embodiment may, for example, include full coloring, transparency andsize of embedding particles 510 instead of just greyscale level. Thus,attributes of embedding particles 510 in an embodiment may comprise avector function of an embedded space and underlying points 410. Again,claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to particular examplesand/or illustrations described herein.

As previously discussed, re-physicalization in this particular context,more specifically, refers to assigning additional or replacementphysical attributes to affected signal(s) and/or state(s) in which thoseattributes being assigned relate to physical manifestations capable ofbeing emulated, such as in accordance with specified virtual physicallaws, at least partially in accordance with the particular measurementof the affected signals and/or states. Therefore, attributes beingmanifested may relate to, but nonetheless, be in addition to or insteadof existing signal and/or state attributes prior to re-physicalization.Thus, in this non-limiting illustrative example, a spatial effectattributable at least partially to initial signal(s) and/or state(s) 410has been re-physicalized onto virtual particles at locations differentrelative to initial signal(s) and/or state(s), resulting in a spatialcontour effect in which gray scale shading inferentially conveys signalinfluence visually.

Example embodiments involving re-physicalization may also be employed,for example, in connection with embedded web browser-type environments.For example, a two-dimensional (2D) surface in a three-dimensional (3D)game environment on a computing device may comprise an active,functional web browser page. In an embodiment, web browser-type analyticvisualizations may be embedded within a 3D scene within a virtualenvironment. For example, in an embodiment, signals and/or states may bere-physicalized by attaching a web page to the surface of one or moreVPOs. In this manner, a dynamic web browser page may remain visible, butdue at least in part to its attachment to one or more VPOs, a virtualweb browser page may acquire virtual physical properties and followvirtual laws of motion and interaction.

In an embodiment, for example, a web page depicting measurement contentof interest may be displayed via a browser object assigned virtualphysical properties such that it floats to the top of a 3D stack of webpages and/or to the foreground in a 3D scene for a user to view as thehighest priority web page. Thus, in this non-limiting illustration, aset of web pages are capable of moving around in 3D virtual spaceautonomously. Typical positional limitations of regular 2D web portalsand/or browser tabs may not therefore be applicable such that positionand/or other characteristics of a web page in a browser (e.g. size,transparency, highlighting, positional order, etc.) may be drivenwithout a user necessarily having to arrange windows ‘by hand’ (e.g.,manually) using conventional gestures and/or mouse actions. In yetanother embodiment, for example, a user may direct two 3D objects in avirtual environment to come into contact where respective browserobjects contain one or more web pages on a display so that contact mayresult in contextual parameters from one web session passing to theother. For example, browser objects, such as these, could share filters,authorization rights, and/or ‘clone’ content. In another example, webpages could be stacked one over another such that a page in a browserobject displays a level in a hierarchy based at least in part on one (ormore) parameters, such as height in a stack and/or proximity toneighboring browser objects. In this way a web browser page can have itscontent re-physicalized. Another example would be live video streamswhich could be autonomously organized in a similar manner. Of course,claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in these respects.

FIG. 7, showing gray scaling, much like before with FIG. 6, providesanother illustration of an example of a spatial contouring visualizationinvolving re-physicalization, here, including a bar chart 720, accordingto an embodiment. FIG. 7, for example, depicts example bar chart 720embedded in 3D visualization 700 with a height of individual bars of bargraph 720 indicative of a count of a number of underlying points 410that share a specified attribute and/or that have a content measurementvalue that falls within specified bins, or ranges, such as in ahistogram, in an embodiment.

Similarly, FIG. 8, again showing gray scaling, provides yet anotherillustration depicting an example spatial contouring visualization ofre-physicalization, again, including a bar chart 820, according to anembodiment. FIG. 8 depicts example generation of a bar chart, such asbar chart 820, without user direction, here by now re-physicalizingunderlying points 410 as VPOs and then grouping together into clustersof similar measurement values shown as circles in the bar chart. Forexample, particles could be encoded with a color such as “purple” orequivalently a darkest gray scaling, as shown here by spatial contouringin FIG. 8 and grouped together, as depicted by darkest gray scaling ofbar chart 820. For examples shown in FIG. 8, lines are shown leadingfrom encoded VPOs of grid 820 to an appropriate column in bar graph 820to depict an animation “morphing” path from the centers of spatiallydistributed points of VPO grid 810 to a corresponding arrangement in barchart 820. Although morphing paths are shown for a single category ofVPO particle type, other embodiments may incorporate other categories ofparticle types. In this context, the terms morph, morphing and/orsimilar terms refer to a process of transformation, which may be gradualin some instances, from one form to another. Additionally, morphingpaths may be depicted in other embodiments for any number of specifiedcategory types. Of course, claimed subject matter is not limited inscope to a particular illustration, such as FIG. 8.

As previously indicated, “morphing” may refer to a gradualtransformation, which, in an embodiment, may include evolution betweendifferent embedded VPOs. For example, in an embodiment, a plurality ofre-physicalized particles may exist at rest on a map plane.Additionally, there may be an arrangement in which particles may bepartitioned into groups that may share one or more common propertiesand/or attributes. In an embodiment, groups of particles having commonproperties may “morph” into rectangular bars. A bar chart and a spatialmap may represent different ways of looking at measurement content. Aspatial map may highlight a spatial distribution of pointsrepresentative of measurement content, and a bar chart may depictamounts of points in particular categories.

Generating a bar chart from particles may enable a visual connection tobe made by a user. Particles may correspond to locations on the map.Alternatively, an assembly of points on a map may morph into anaggregate-style presentation, such as a bar chart. During morphing,features, such as shading, etc., of particles, may remain the same ormay change to visually aid in user comprehension, for example. Again,claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in these respects.

Thus, embodiments may comprise game-related technology, for example,incorporating graphics card and/or processor, and may incorporate gamecode to simulate laws of motion (e.g., implement virtual physical laws)in four-dimensional space-time. Rather than being used forentertainment, a game-type engine may be utilized to evolve one or moreVPOs, as described above, for example.

In an embodiment, a game type engine, such as may be found atwww.unity3d.com, for example, may be utilized to generate avisualization system. In an embodiment, a particle system having typicaloptions as may be used in a game for simulating liquids and/or otherproperties, for example, may be generated. In an embodiment, virtualphysical laws may include initial particle velocities and/or relativelysimple simulation effects, such as making particles appear to be subjectto gravity in a virtual environment, for example. Additional code may bedeveloped to extend particle behavior to take on more complex attributesof one or more VPOs, described above, in an embodiment. Advantages ofusing a game type environment to implement a virtual environment mayinclude an ability to deploy similar functionality across a range ofdevice types, including personal computers of various operating systemsand/or gaming platforms from various vendors, for example.

Some game type environments may allow objects to be generated as rigidbodies and/or may obey a set of virtual physical laws, including, asexamples, gravity and/or collision related behavior, in an embodiment.As mentioned, additional code may be developed to implement more complexVPO attributes and/or more complex virtual physical laws than mayotherwise not be available. In an embodiment, for example, some aspectsof a virtual environment through visualization may be implemented usingone or more game type environments; other aspects may be implemented viacustomization. Also, in an embodiment, for example, a virtualenvironment that is able to be visualized may be implemented usingWebGL, a Javascript application programming interface for 3D graphicalrendering, and/or coding may be accomplished using Javascript, forexample. In another embodiment, for example, OpenGL and/or DirectXlibraries may be utilized in addition to native code. Likewise, avirtual environment may be implemented on a computing device to besubstantially compliant with and/or substantially compatible with anynow known and/or to be developed versions of the foregoing. However,claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in these respects.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example process for aggregation and/orretention, such as of stored states, as an example ofre-physicalization, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, suchas, for example, discussed above in connection with FIG. 2, one or moreVPOs in an embodiment, as previously described are described, may begenerated by being “injected” into a virtual environment, such as, forexample, virtual environment 230. In one example embodiment, managementof content aging and/or content aggregation may be accomplished viare-physicalization in a manner that may be viewed as “more intuitive” toan end-user than typical approaches and/or with less programmingoverhead.)

Typically, content management and/or retention may be instituted for avariety of possible reasons. Likewise, in an embodiment, it may beexpected for one or more VPOs to exist for a specified period of time,as previously discussed. This may follow from virtual physical laws, forexample. As one example use, a user may seek pre-existing relevantand/or useful content, but prefer not to wade through a large amount ofpre-existing content, as an example. Thus, for the example of FIG. 9,sequential periods of time A, B, and C are depicted. In time period A,recently-added VPOs 901-907, perhaps representing VPOs related to ICOsgenerated for individual days of the week, for example, may be presentedwith a greater degree of detail than presentation of less recent VPOsdepicted in time periods B and C. For example, time period A depicts agreater amount of detail for individual VPOs, time period B depicts areduced amount of detail, and time period C presents an aggregatedversion of the VPOs, in an embodiment. In this manner, a user may morereadily review VPO activity for recently-generated VPOs than otherwise.

Similarly, FIG. 10 provides another illustration. Similar to the exampleof FIG. 9, the example of FIG. 10 generally depicts a reduced amount ofdetail for less-recently generated VPOs. However, the example of FIG. 10includes maintaining a greater degree of detail for active VPOs,regardless of elapsed time period. For non-active VPOs, in anembodiment, a reduced amount of detail is shown for less-recent VPOs,until an aggregation of VPOs occurs at time period C, for example.Content degradation may be implemented as a coalescing of particlesaccording to one or more virtual laws. Of course, claimed subject matteris not limited in scope in these respects.

As previously described, re-physicalization in this particular context,more specifically, refers to assigning additional or replacementphysical attributes to affected signal(s) and/or state(s) in which thoseattributes being assigned relate to physical manifestations capable ofbeing emulated, such as in accordance with specified virtual physicallaws, at least partially in accordance with the particular measurementof the affected signals and/or states. Therefore, attributes beingmanifested may relate to, but nonetheless, be in addition to or insteadof existing signal and/or state attributes prior to re-physicalization.Thus, in this non-limiting example, content may take on virtual physicalproperties of a system of particles in which particles have virtualphysical properties that aid in managing content and/or managing contentretention, such as a limited period of existence, merging with otherparticles, etc.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of an example time-series, according to anembodiment. The example time-series depicted in FIG. 11 may depict atypical approach to a time-series display. For example, the time-seriesdisplay of FIG. 11 depicts example values at individual points. Pointsmay optionally be joined using lines or other interpolation methods, forexample, in an embodiment. Additionally, content belonging to multipletime-series points may be depicted using different point types such as,for example, points 1110 and/or points 1120. As time advances, such asfrom t-T to t as depicted in FIG. 11, and as points are added, thedisplay may be re-drawn to show added point locations, and older pointsthat are outside a specified time window may be removed. Adding andremoving points, and re-drawing as points are added and/or removed,however, may be computationally burdensome for a processing unit, suchas a CPU. For example, overhead may be incurred by a processor due atleast in part to re-calculating and/or redrawing a display as points areadded and/or removed. Thus, for example, refresh of the display may berestricted to every second due at least in part to performancelimitations for a relatively large number of points to calculate and/ordraw, for example. Additionally, recalculating and/or redrawing adisplay to remove and/or add points may produce “apparent” jumps in timefor the points depicted (e.g., movement to the next position), therebypotentially resulting in a discontinuous apparent flow of pointsvisually. Challenges, such as those presented by these examples, may beundesirable.

In contrast, re-physicalization may at least partially address variousvisual issues, such as those discussed and/or others. For example, FIG.12 is an illustration of an example time-series for an example ofre-physicalization, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, a timeseries may be represented, for example, using a particle system in avirtual environment. For example, calculations related to particlemovement, such as particles 1210, along a time line may be performed bya graphics processor, in an embodiment. In an embodiment, individualparticles 1210 may comprise one or more VPOs. For the example of FIG.12, at a most recent time “t,” a particle 1201 may be injected into aparticle system such as depicted in FIG. 12, with specified virtualphysical properties, in an embodiment. Example virtual physicalproperties for a particle may include, but are not limited to, color,shape, size, transparency, etc. A particle may also be assigned aninitial virtual velocity “v” and a particle lifetime “T_(particie)”after which a virtual particle may be “destroyed” or otherwise cease,for example.

For the example depicted in FIG. 12, particles, such as particle 1201,may be injected on the right hand side and may move at a constantvelocity “v” until reaching a vertical axis where, for an exampleembodiment, particle lifetime expires, as depicted at 1202. Such anapproach, although merely a simple illustration of re-physicalization,may have a variety of advantages. For example, particle dynamicscalculations may be performed using a graphics processor to run at ahigh frame rate, thereby potentially displaying a smoother motion ofparticles from right to left than might otherwise be depicted usingother approaches. This may be particularly desirable for situationswhere millions of particles may be involved. Additionally, a centralprocessing unit, in an embodiment, may communicate with a graphics cardto inject a particle. Thus, a graphics processor may be able to maintaina time-series display without significant amounts of regeneration,thereby reducing potential burden of both processors, for example.

FIG. 13 is another re-physicalization illustration of a time-series,here, with an example time compression zone, according to an embodiment.The example depicted in FIG. 13 is similar in respects to the exampledepicted in FIG. 12. However, FIG. 13 depicts a particle system thatincludes a region of time compression in this example. Assume that thetime from t to t-T is the same as the time from t-T to t-T₂. Thus, timecompression may be accomplished, in an embodiment, by slowing downparticles, such as 1310 or 1301, as they cross a threshold time “t-T,”in this example

In one embodiment, compression may take the form of a step functiondecrease in particle velocity, for example. In another embodiment, anonlinear decrease in particle velocity may be utilized to create alogarithmic time scale. For example, a time scale may graduate fromseconds, to days, to weeks, and to years on a particular display, forexample, in an embodiment. Of course, claimed subject matter is notlimited in these respects. For the embodiment depicted in FIG. 13,however, after particles cross vertical line at “t-T,” velocitydecreases. Thus, in this non-limiting example, using virtual physicalprinciples in a virtual environment, time, for example, may bere-physicalized, as shown, as an aid to visualization and/or usercomprehension. In another embodiment, a similar effect may be achievedusing 3D perspective whereby the left hand side of FIG. 13 is tiltedaway from an observer resulting in a change in visual perspectiveaffecting apparent time compression (e.g., of older points in thedistance).

FIG. 14 is an example visualization of a phase space approach foranother illustration of re-physicalization, according to an embodiment.A phase space visualization of a time-series may, for example,illustrate y1 versus y2 in which time is parametric, rather thanemploying rectangular coordinate values, for example, for y1 and y2versus time. In an example embodiment, a particle system may be utilizedto generate a phase space visualization, such as depicted in FIG. 14.For the example depicted in FIG. 14, particles of a system may appear tobe stationary. However, in an embodiment, individual particles may haveproperties that evolve over time, including complete decay, for example.

For example, one or more particles may be injected over time. FIG. 14provides a parametric phase space representation of coordinates (y₁,y₂)at time t, with a particle parameter alpha affecting transparency. Thus,for this example, particles “fade out” by time T. For example, particles1401, 1402, and/or 1403 may represent recently injected particles, andparticle 1413 may represent a particle fading out. Thus, in thisnon-limiting example, using virtual physical principles in a virtualenvironment, time, for example, may be parameterized and alsore-physicalized as particle transparency as an aid to visualizationand/or user comprehension.

FIG. 15 is another re-physicalization illustration, here, using jitter,according to an embodiment. For the example embodiment depicted at FIG.15, a particle may be assigned one of two possible “y” values. Forexample, injected particles may be assigned either a “y” value of 0 or1, shown by points (a, 0) and (a, 1). As a simple example, this might bean evaluation of whether a two-sided coin is fair. Similarly, asix-sided die may be evaluated to make sure it is not loaded. Of course,these are simplified, non-limiting illustrations. However, in theillustrative example mentioned above, if displayed, multiple particlesmay simply stack one on top of the other, and a user may not be able todiscern a single particle from multiple particles, as shown by points(a, 0) and (a, 1).

However, an amount of “jitter” may be added (e.g., using superpositionof signal values) so that multiple particles do not stack one on top ofthe other. For example, at points (b, 0) and (b, 1), multiple particlesare rendered visible at least in part due to jitter (e.g., addition ofrandom or approximately random noise). Returning to the coin example, acoin landing on “heads” and on “tails” may result in a view, such asdepicted at locations (a,0) and (a,1), in which individual occurrencesof “heads” and “tails” perfectly align one on top of another. However,by adding jitter to VPOs representing individual coin flips, separatecoin flips may be rendered more visible, such as depicted at points (b,0) and (b, 1). Thus, for example, in judging whether a coin in loaded,for example, a comparison of groupings of multiple particles may providea visual representation. That is, the grouping should be relativelyequal in number (and size) for a coin that is fair. Of course, claimedsubject matter is not limited in scope to these illustrations. Thus, inthis non-limiting example, using virtual physical principles in avirtual environment, for example, re-physicalization may includeemploying jitter to produce a visualization to aid in humancomprehension.

FIG. 16 is a re-physicalization illustration providing an example 2Drendering and an example volumetric (3D) rendering, according to anembodiment. For a variety of possible situation, including embodimentsdescribed herein, two-dimensional depictions of re-physicalization maybe provided. However, claimed subject matter is not limited in scope totwo-dimensional re-physicalization. For example, FIG. 16 depicts a 2Drepresentation 1620, and also depicts a 3D representation 1630. Anembodiment in which 3D representations may be utilized may include, forexample, underground geological surveying or a point cloud where thepoints comprise re-physicalized VPOs. Another example may comprisemagnetic resonance imaging. Of course, claimed subject matter is notlimited in this respect.

As mentioned previously, for example in connection with FIG. 2, aninterface, such as 260, may comprise physical sensors with which a usermay interact and/or that may measure and/or track characteristics of auser. For example, a camera may be utilized to track user movements,and/or a user may be monitored using bio-sensors for biological indicia,such as heart rate, respiration, temperature, etc. Additionally, devicesfor measuring brainwaves and/or emotional state may be utilized togenerate sensor measurements and/or ICOs.

In an embodiment, bio-sensing may perhaps enable users to interact witha virtual environment, such as 230, via human brain relatedmeasurements. For example, as scientists and/or doctors map neuronactivity, which is capable of being measured, in an embodiment, a usermight affect one or more VPOs in a virtual environment via neuronrelated activity and/or neurotransmitter related activity being sensed,for example, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope inthis respect. One might imagine that particular thoughts might result inparticular brain activity that may be measured and re-physicalized.Thus, a mechanism to at least partially affect one or more VPOs throughparticular thoughts might be possible.

In another embodiment, supraliminal and/or subliminal sensing modes maybe implemented. In an embodiment, an emotional state of a user may bedetected and one or more characteristics within a virtual environmentmay be adjusted. Depending at least in part on the particular situation,one might imagine a virtual environment to maintain a desired emotionalstate, to generate virtual physical objects to adjust an emotionalstate, and/or as a result of a detected emotional state, restrictingparticular user interactions, as a few non-limiting examples.Additionally, availability of biometric measurement content may enablebiometric authentication implementations, in an embodiment. Thus, inthese non-limiting examples, using virtual physical principles in avirtual environment, for example, re-physicalization may includepermitting sensor measurements associated with human brain activity toaffect aspects of a virtual environment presented to a user.

FIG. 17 is a re-physicalization illustration that includes an examplelayer and level structure 1700 according to an embodiment. Embodimentsin accordance with claimed subject matter may, for example, employ a“level” in a virtual environment analogous to levels employed in somecomputer video games. Also, in an embodiment, a “layer” may also beemployed in a virtual environment, for example, such as depicted in FIG.17, as an example.

In an embodiment, a level, such as levels 1701 through 1704, maycomprise a hierarchical arrangement such that a user may “drill down” todeeper levels of a virtual environment. One non-limiting example may beto represent the interior of a virtual physical building as a separatelevel or the interior of a piece of equipment. In another embodiment, alevel may also comprise different spatial areas in a horizontal spatialrepresentation at a higher resolution of detail.

In gaming, layers may be employed, such that objects may be assigned tolayers, and different layers may be turned ‘on’ and ‘off.’ In FIG. 17,for example, layers 17A through 17H are depicted, although claimedsubject matter is not limited in scope in these respects. Additionally,in an embodiment, within individual levels, there may exist layers thatmay be turned on and off. For example, in an embodiment, one or moreVPOs may be assigned to one or more specific layers, and these specificlayers may be turned on or off. A layer may comprise any arrangement ofone or more VPOs in a virtual environment, by way of non-limitingexample, dashboards, embedded web browser sessions, etc.

In an example embodiment, level 1701 may comprise a wide area view of anelectric grid in a virtual environment. Likewise, a layer that may bereferred to as “transformers” may have transformers within a wide areaview which may become visible if that layer is turned on. Further, in anembodiment, another layer may be referred to as “temperature.” For thewide area of level 1701, for example, a temperature layer may showenvironmental temperature over the wide area if turned on.

Additionally, a user may move a VPO, such as a camera, to focus on aspecific transformer and a user may enter another level, such as 1702.Level 1702 may, for example, comprise a single transformer and may showan internal view of the transformer, along with metrics and chartsrelating to performance of that transformer, in an embodiment. Withinthat example layer, the user may also turn on the layer referred to astemperature, which may highlight the temperature of the individualsub-systems inside the transformer, for example.

A variety of types of systems may be emulated throughre-physicalization, again, with a result that visualization may be anaid to human understanding. Examples, discussed quickly below, includeoperations and/or system planning for an electrical grid network, an oiland/or gas network, a water utility network, a transportation system andan entertainment venue.

As mentioned previously, one or more embodiments may comprise an examplesystem for visualization of an electrical grid network in a virtualenvironment, such as, for example, for network operations and/orplanning. For example, an example embodiment such as depicted in FIG. 2,may be utilized to generate and/or display a virtual environment, suchas 230, representing an electrical energy transmission and/ordistribution network. In an embodiment, an example electrical gridnetwork may be implemented, at least in part, with a game engine, aspreviously discussed, and/or within a web browser executed at least inpart by a processor of a computing device, such as depicted, forexample, in FIG. 18, and as discussed below.

Example types of one or more virtual physical objects (VPOs) that may beutilized in a virtual environment to implement an example electricalgrid network may include one or more VPOs that represent supply, demand,transmission, and/or distribution of electrical energy, in anembodiment. Additional example VPO types may include, for example, oneor more VPOs that may show energy storage for pumped storage systemsand/or batteries. Also, in an embodiment, streams of VPOs may beanimated, such as from energy sources to energy sinks, to represent flowof energy in a virtual environment. In an embodiment, one or more VPOsmay comprise re-physicalized ICOs to provide visualization of electricaltransmission characteristics such as, for example, power, current,voltage, phase angle, and/or frequency. Additional VPOs may be employedto capture voltage instability and/or oscillating modes of an energygrid. Further, in an embodiment, virtual physical laws associated withone or more VPOs may include one or more conservation laws. For example,energy balance within a network may be monitored, such that if aphysical energy imbalance is detected, the imbalance may be depicted insome fashion within a visualization, such as 230. For example, in anembodiment, a violation of a virtual energy conservation law may bedepicted by highlighting an area.

Also, in an embodiment, additional VPO types that may be implementedinclude VPOs to represent electric “smart” meters that may be installedin one or more residential homes and/or businesses. VPOs may have one ormore virtual physical properties for a state of a building in terms ofenergy use, occupancy, temperature, humidity, etc. for example. FurtherVPO types may represent distributed energy generation sources, such as,for example, rooftop photovoltaic generation, for example. AdditionalVPO types may represent an electrical vehicle, the vehicle's chargestate, and/or a rate at which the vehicle is draining energy from anelectrical grid and/or supplying energy to a grid, in an embodiment.

In another embodiment, embedded particles, such as particles 510depicted in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, may be utilized to highlight spatialpatterns across a wide geographical region of an electrical grid system.A user, such as user 270, may interact with an example electrical gridin a virtual environment, such as by way of one or more of interfaces,such as 260, to adjust distance functions and therefore highlightpatterns, for example. Additionally, VPO types comprising weatherrelated environmental conditions may be implemented, in an embodiment.Weather related environmental conditions may include, for example,rainfall, wind, humidity, and/or solar irradiance.

Further, VPOs may be utilized to capture risk in a virtual environment.Example elements of risk may be depicted in terms of probability offailure of a physical system component and/or asset on the grid, and/ormay be characterized in terms of impact of system or component failurein financial, human, and/or environmental terms, in an embodiment.Additionally, VPOs may have virtual physical attributes related tomonitoring conditions of one or more physical system components and/orassets, in an embodiment. Still further VPOs may represent locationand/or state of physical system resources, such as, for example, repairand/or maintenance crews.

Also, in an embodiment, a user, such as user 270, may interactivelyperform tasks such as, for example: schedule and/or dispatch fieldservice crews; set beneficial energy generation levels; resource usageduring restoration of energy delivery service following an outage, suchas due to a storm, for example; demand response, such as if a load maybe turned off to match available energy generation levels; and/orperform energy dispatch operations in an environment including volatilerenewable energy generation sources, such as wind farms and/or solar,for example.

Additionally, one or more embodiments may comprise an examplevisualization in a virtual environment of an oil and/or gas network,such as, for example, for network operations and/or planning. Forexample, an example embodiment, again, such as depicted in FIG. 2 may beutilized to generate and/or display a virtual environment, such as 230,representing an oil and/or gas transmission and/or distribution network.In an embodiment, one or more VPOs may represent supply, demand,transmission, storage and/or distribution of gas, for example. Also, inan embodiment, streams of VPOs may be animated from sources to sinks torepresent flow of physical gas. VPOs may depict flow rate, density,velocity, pressure and/or temperature of gas, in an embodiment. Also, inan embodiment, one or more VPOs may be re-physicalized as“super-particles” of gas, rather than as individual gas molecules thatfollow the same laws of motion at an aggregate level. Further, similarto the energy grid example described above, VPOs may behave inaccordance with virtual laws related to mass and/or momentum balance,such that a physical violation of these virtual physical laws capturedby sensor measurements may result in a highlighting of an area ofvisualization.

Also, similar to embodiments mentioned above in connection with anenergy grid system, one or more VPOs may represent gas “smart” metersthat may be installed in residential homes and/or businesses. In anembodiment, smart meter VPOs may represent a state of building in termsof energy use, occupancy, temperature and/or humidity. In anotherembodiment, embedded particles, such as embedding particles 510 depictedin FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, may be utilized to highlight spatial patternsacross a wide geographical region of an example gas and/or oiltransmission and/or distribution system. A user, such as user 270, mayinteract with an example gas and/or oil pipeline network in a virtualenvironment, such as by way of one or more of interfaces, such as 260,to adjust distance functions and, therefore, highlight patterns relatedto the example gas and/or oil network, for example. Additionally, VPOtypes related to weather related environmental conditions may beimplemented, in an embodiment, and may include, for example, rainfall,wind, humidity, and/or solar irradiance.

Additionally, VPOs may be utilized to depict elements of risk in anexample gas and/or oil network. These may be characterized in terms ofprobability of failure of a system component and/or asset, and/or impactin financial, human, and/or environmental terms, in an embodiment.Additionally, VPOs in an example gas and/or oil network may be assignedvirtual physical attributes related to monitoring conditions of one ormore system components and/or assets, in an embodiment. In anembodiment, a user, such as user 270, may perform tasks such as, forexample, scheduling and/or dispatching field service crews and/or gasstorage and/or compression. Of course, claimed subject matter is notlimited in scope in these respects.

Other embodiments may include water utility network operations and/orplanning implemented in a virtual environment. For example, in anembodiment, a water transmission and/or distribution network may berepresented. As with other embodiments, an example water transmissionand/or distribution network may be implemented, such as using a gameengine and/or in a web browser. In an embodiment, one or more VPOs mayrepresent supply, demand, transmission, and/or distribution of water.Other VPOs may represent storage of water in reservoirs. In an example,streams of VPOs may be animated to represent a flow of water. VPOs maydepict flow characteristics, such as flow rate and/or depth. Other VPOsmay relate to pollution and/or contamination of water. One or more VPOsmay be re-physicalized as “super-particles” of water representingmultiple, rather than individual, water molecules, in an embodiment.Also, in an embodiment, virtual physical laws assigned to one or moreVPOs may include conservation laws, such as, for example, flow balances.In an embodiment, a violation of virtual physical flow balance laws maybe detected and highlighted.

Still other VPOs may represent water “smart” meters, such as installedin residential homes and/or businesses. VPOs may depict a state of oneor more buildings in terms of energy use, occupancy, etc. in anembodiment. Other VPOs may represent a presence of distributed waterstorage, for example. Additional VPOs may represent presence of a watertank, current water level, rate at which water is consumed and/orsupplied, etc. in an embodiment. Still other VPOs may represent locationand/or state of resources, such as repair and maintenance crews.Further, users, such as user 270, may interactively perform tasks, suchas, for example, setting pumping levels to manage build-up of water,and/or reducing impact of contamination by sewage, in an embodiment.Other tasks may include utilizing resources after an outage due to astorm to restore service to customers, and/or assessing demand response,such as in situations wherein distribution may be turned off and/orreduced to match available supplies.

Additional embodiments may include a logistics and/or transportationnetwork, for example. In an embodiment, one or more VPOs depicted mayrepresent supply, demand, and movement of vehicles, rail cars, airplanescontaining freight and/or passengers, for example. Other VPOs may depicttemporary storage of cargo in hubs and/or warehouses, in an embodiment.Also, in an embodiment, streams of VPOs may be animated to representdelivery of freight from sources to sinks by vehicles such as planes,trucks, rail cars, boats etc. Additionally, in an embodiment, VPOs maydepict continuous flow characteristics in addition to discrete entities.Additionally VPOs that result in service level violation and/orcongestion could be highlighted for example. Further, one or more VPOsmay comprise “super-particles” representing aggregated freight packagesrather than individual packages. Still other VPOs may representcustomers in residential homes and/or businesses, to reflect a staterelated to package/freight sending and/or receiving, in an embodiment.Additional VPOs may depict vehicles used for transportation and/or todepict quantities, such as utilization percentage, operational costs,and/or average velocity, for example. In an embodiment, users mayinteractively perform tasks, such as scheduling and/or dispatch ofvehicles and/or crew, network design, and/or hub location determination,for example.

Another embodiment may represent an example entertainment venue, such asa theme park, cruise ship, and/or concert venue, to name just a fewexamples. In an embodiment, one or more VPOs may represent arrivals,departures, paths taken, places visited within the venue. Other VPOs mayrepresent queuing of guests in wait lines, in an embodiment. In anembodiment, one or more VPOs may depict flow characteristics, such asservice level violation, pedestrian congestion, excessive wait times,and so forth, for example. Also, in an embodiment, one or more VPOs maycomprise “super-particles” representing aggregated groups of guests,such as families, for example. Still other VPOs may represent venuepatrons in residential homes and/or businesses, and/or may representvenue patrons in terms of departure, return and transit to the venue,for example. Additional VPOs may be utilized to depict vehicles used fortransportation, and/or may capture quantities such as utilizationpercentage, operational costs, and/or average velocity, to name just afew examples. Also, in an embodiment, one or more VPOs may representmobile devices of patrons and/or respective states of the mobiledevices, for example. Additionally, in an embodiment, users mayinteractively perform tasks such as adjusting incentives for patronswithin a venue to perform pedestrian traffic engineering, utilization ofresources, reducing costs related to venue transportation systems, etc.Of course, claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in theserespects.

For purposes of illustration, FIG. 18 is an illustration of anembodiment of a system 1800 that may be employed in a client-server typeinteraction, such as described infra. in connection with rendering a GUIvia a device, such as a network device and/or a computing device, forexample. In FIG. 18, computing device 1802 (‘first device’ in figure)may interface with client 1804 (‘second device’ in figure), which maycomprise features of a client computing device, for example.Communications interface 1830, processor (e.g., processing unit) 1820,and memory 1822, which may comprise primary memory 1824 and secondarymemory 1826, may communicate by way of a communication bus, for example.In FIG. 18, client computing device 1802 may represent one or moresources of analog, uncompressed digital, lossless compressed digital,and/or lossy compressed digital formats for content of various types,such as video, imaging, text, audio, etc. in the form physical statesand/or signals, for example. Client computing device 1802 maycommunicate with computing device 1804 by way of a connection, such asan internet connection, via network 1808, for example. Althoughcomputing device 1804 of FIG. 18 shows the above-identified components,claimed subject matter is not limited to computing devices having onlythese components as other implementations may include alternativearrangements that may comprise additional components or fewercomponents, such as components that function differently while achievingsimilar results. Rather, examples are provided merely as illustrations.It is not intended that claimed subject matter to limited in scope toillustrative examples.

Processor 1820 may be representative of one or more circuits, such asdigital circuits, to perform at least a portion of a computing procedureand/or process. By way of example, but not limitation, processor 1820may comprise one or more processors, such as controllers,microprocessors, microcontrollers, application specific integratedcircuits, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, fieldprogrammable gate arrays, the like, or any combination thereof. Inimplementations, processor 1820 may perform signal processing tomanipulate signals and/or states, to construct signals and/or states,etc., for example.

Memory 1822 may be representative of any storage mechanism. Memory 1820may comprise, for example, primary memory 1822 and secondary memory1826, additional memory circuits, mechanisms, or combinations thereofmay be used. Memory 1820 may comprise, for example, random accessmemory, read only memory, etc., such as in the form of one or morestorage devices and/or systems, such as, for example, a disk drive, anoptical disc drive, a tape drive, a solid-state memory drive, etc., justto name a few examples. Memory 1820 may be utilized to store a program.Memory 180 may also comprise a memory controller for accessing computerreadable-medium 1840 that may carry and/or make accessible content,which may include code, and/or instructions, for example, executable byprocessor 1820 and/or some other unit, such as a controller and/orprocessor, capable of executing instructions, for example.

Under direction of processor 1820, memory, such as memory cells storingphysical states, representing, for example, a program, may be executedby processor 1820 and generated signals may be transmitted via theInternet, for example. Processor 1820 may also receive digitally-encodedsignals from client computing device 1802.

Network 1808 may comprise one or more network communication links,processes, services, applications and/or resources to support exchangingcommunication signals between a client computing device, such as 1802,and computing device 1806 (‘third device’ in figure), which may, forexample, comprise one or more servers (not shown). By way of example,but not limitation, network 1008 may comprise wireless and/or wiredcommunication links, telephone and/or telecommunications systems, Wi-Finetworks, Wi-MAX networks, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), awide area network (WAN), or any combinations thereof.

The term “computing device,” as used herein, refers to a system and/or adevice, such as a computing apparatus, that includes a capability toprocess (e.g., perform computations) and/or store content, such asmeasurements, text, images, video, audio, etc. in the form of signalsand/or states. Thus, a computing device, in this context, may comprisehardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof (other thansoftware per se). Computing device 1804, as depicted in FIG. 18, ismerely one example, and claimed subject matter is not limited in scopeto this particular example. For one or more embodiments, a computingdevice may comprise any of a wide range of digital electronic devices,including, but not limited to, personal desktop and/or notebookcomputers, high-definition televisions, digital versatile disc (DVD)players and/or recorders, game consoles, satellite television receivers,cellular telephones, wearable devices, personal digital assistants,mobile audio and/or video playback and/or recording devices, or anycombination of the above. Further, unless specifically stated otherwise,a process as described herein, with reference to flow diagrams and/orotherwise, may also be executed and/or affected, in whole or in part, bya computing platform.

Memory 1822 may store cookies relating to one or more users and may alsocomprise a computer-readable medium that may carry and/or makeaccessible content, including code and/or instructions, for example,executable by processor 1820 and/or some other unit, such as acontroller and/or processor, capable of executing instructions, forexample. A user may make use of an input device, such as a computermouse, stylus, track ball, keyboard, and/or any other similar devicecapable of receiving user actions and/or motions as input signals.Likewise, a user may make use of an output device, such as a display, aprinter, etc., and/or any other device capable of providing signalsand/or generating stimuli for a user, such as visual stimuli, audiostimuli and/or other similar stimuli.

With advances in technology, it has become more typical to employdistributed computing approaches in which apportions of a computationalproblem may be allocated among computing devices, including one or moreclients and one or more servers, via a computing and/or communicationsnetwork, for example.

A network may comprise two or more network devices and/or may couplenetwork devices so that signal communications, such as in the form ofsignal packets and/or frames, for example, may be exchanged, such asbetween a server and a client device and/or other types of devices,including between wireless devices coupled via a wireless network, forexample.

In this context, the term network device refers to any device capable ofcommunicating via and/or as part of a network and may comprise acomputing device. While network devices may be capable of sending and/orreceiving signals (e.g., signal packets and/or frames), such as via awired and/or wireless network, they may also be capable of performingarithmetic and/or logic operations, processing and/or storing signals,such as in memory as physical memory states, and/or may, for example,operate as a server in various embodiments. Network devices capable ofoperating as a server, or otherwise, may include, as examples, dedicatedrack-mounted servers, desktop computers, laptop computers, set topboxes, tablets, netbooks, smart phones, wearable devices, integrateddevices combining two or more features of the foregoing devices, thelike or any combination thereof. Signal packets and/or frames, forexample, may be exchanged, such as between a server and a client deviceand/or other types of network devices, including between wirelessdevices coupled via a wireless network, for example. It is noted thatthe terms, server, server device, server computing device, servercomputing platform and/or similar terms are used interchangeably.Similarly, the terms client, client device, client computing device,client computing platform and/or similar terms are also usedinterchangeably. While in some instances, for ease of description, theseterms may be used in the singular, such as by referring to a “clientdevice” or a “server device,” the description is intended to encompassone or more client devices and/or one or more server devices, asappropriate. Along similar lines, references to a “database” areunderstood to mean, one or more databases and/or portions thereof, asappropriate.

It should be understood that for ease of description a network device(also referred to as a networking device) may be embodied and/ordescribed in terms of a computing device. However, it should further beunderstood that this description should in no way be construed thatclaimed subject matter is limited to one embodiment, such as a computingdevice and/or a network device, and, instead, may be embodied as avariety of devices or combinations thereof, including, for example, oneor more illustrative examples.

A network may also include now known, and/or to be later developedarrangements, derivatives, and/or improvements, including, for example,past, present and/or future mass storage, such as network attachedstorage (NAS), a storage area network (SAN), and/or other forms ofcomputer and/or machine readable media, for example. A network mayinclude a portion of the Internet, one or more local area networks(LANs), one or more wide area networks (WANs), wire-line typeconnections, wireless type connections, other connections, or anycombination thereof. Thus, a network may be worldwide in scope and/orextent. Likewise, sub-networks, such as may employ differingarchitectures and/or may be compliant and/or compatible with differingprotocols, such as computing and/or communication protocols (e.g.,network protocols), may interoperate within a larger network. In thiscontext, the term sub-network refers to a portion and/or part of anetwork. Sub-networks may also comprise links, such as physical links,connecting and/or coupling nodes to transmit signal packets and/orframes between devices of particular nodes including wired links,wireless links, or combinations thereof. Various types of devices, suchas network devices and/or computing devices, may be made available sothat device interoperability is enabled and/or, in at least someinstances, may be transparent to the devices. In this context, the termtransparent refers to devices, such as network devices and/or computingdevices, communicating via a network in which the devices are able tocommunicate via intermediate devices of a node, but without thecommunicating devices necessarily specifying one or more intermediatedevices of one or more nodes and/or may include communicating as ifintermediate devices of intermediate nodes are not necessarily involvedin communication transmissions. For example, a router may provide a linkand/or connection between otherwise separate and/or independent LANs. Inthis context, a private network refers to a particular, limited set ofnetwork devices able to communicate with other network devices in theparticular, limited set, such as via signal packet and/or frametransmissions, for example, without a need for re-routing and/orredirecting network communications. A private network may comprise astand-alone network; however, a private network may also comprise asubset of a larger network, such as, for example, without limitation,all or a portion of the Internet. Thus, for example, a private network“in the cloud” may refer to a private network that comprises a subset ofthe Internet, for example. Although signal packet and/or frametransmissions may employ intermediate devices of intermediate noes toexchange signal packet and/or frame transmissions, those intermediatedevices may not necessarily be included in the private network by notbeing a source or destination for one or more signal packet and/or frametransmissions, for example. It is understood in this context that aprivate network may provide outgoing network communications to devicesnot in the private network, but such devices outside the private networkmay not necessarily direct inbound network communications to devicesincluded in the private network.

The Internet refers to a decentralized global network of interoperablenetworks that comply with the Internet Protocol (IP). It is noted thatthere are several versions of the Internet Protocol. Here, the termInternet Protocol or IP is intended to refer to any version, now knownand/or later developed. The Internet includes local area networks(LANs), wide area networks (WANs), wireless networks, and/or long haulpublic networks that, for example, may allow signal packets and/orframes to be communicated between LANs. The term world wide web (WWW orweb) and/or similar terms may also be used, although it refers to asub-portion of the Internet that complies with the Hypertext TransferProtocol or HTTP. For example, network devices may engage in an HTTPsession through an exchange of Internet signal packets and/or frames. Itis noted that there are several versions of the Hypertext TransferProtocol. Here, the term Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP is intendedto refer to any version, now known and/or later developed. It islikewise noted that in various places in this document substitution ofthe term Internet with the term world wide web may be made without asignificant departure in meaning and may, therefore, not beinappropriate in that the statement would remain correct with such asubstitution.

Although claimed subject matter is not in particular limited in scope tothe Internet or to the web, it may without limitation provide a usefulexample of an embodiment for purposes of illustration. As indicated, theInternet may comprise a worldwide system of interoperable networks,including devices within those networks. The Internet has evolved to apublic, self-sustaining facility that may be accessible to tens ofmillions of people or more worldwide. Also, in an embodiment, and asmentioned above, the terms “WWW” and/or “web” refer to a sub-portion ofthe Internet that complies with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol or HTTP.The web, therefore, in this context, may comprise an Internet servicethat organizes stored content, such as, for example, text, images,video, etc., through the use of hypermedia, for example. A HyperTextMarkup Language (“HTML”), for example, may be utilized to specifycontent and/or format of hypermedia type content, such as in the form ofa file or an “electronic document,” such as a web page, for example. AnExtensible Markup Language (“XML”) may also be utilized to specifycontent and/or format of hypermedia type content, such as in the form ofa file or an “electronic document,” such as a web page, in anembodiment. Of course, HTML and XML are merely example languagesprovided as illustrations and, furthermore, HTML and/or XML is intendedto refer to any version, now known and/or later developed. Likewise,claimed subject matter is not intended to be limited to examplesprovided as illustrations, of course.

The term “web site” and/or similar terms refer to a collection ofrelated web pages, in an embodiment. The term “web page” and/or similarterms relates to any electronic file and/or electronic document, such asmay be accessible via a network, by specifying a uniform resourcelocator (URL) for accessibility via the web, in an example embodiment.As alluded to above, a web page may comprise content coded using one ormore languages, such as, for example, HTML and/or XML, in one or moreembodiments. Although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope inthis respect. Also, in one or more embodiments, developers may writecode in the form of JavaScript, for example, to provide content topopulate one or more templates, such as for an application. Here,JavaScript is intended to refer to any now known or future versions.However, JavaScript is merely an example programming language. As wasmentioned, claimed subject matter is not limited to examples orillustrations.

Terms including “entry”, “electronic entry”, “document”, “electronicdocument”, “content”, “digital content”, “item”, and/or similar termsare meant to refer to signals and/or states in a format, such as adigital format, that is perceivable by a user, such as if displayedand/or otherwise played by a device, such as a digital device,including, for example, a computing device. In an embodiment, “content”may comprise one or more signals and/or states to represent physicalmeasurements generated by sensors, for example. For one or moreembodiments, an electronic document may comprise a web page coded in amarkup language, such as, for example, HTML (hypertext markup language).In another embodiment, an electronic document may comprise a portionand/or a region of a web page. However, claimed subject matter is notlimited in these respects. Also, for one or more embodiments, anelectronic document and/or electronic entry may comprise a number ofcomponents. Components in one or more embodiments may comprise text, forexample as may be displayed on a web page. Also for one or moreembodiments, components may comprise a graphical object, such as, forexample, an image, such as a digital image, and/or sub-objects, such asattributes thereof. In an embodiment, digital content may comprise, forexample, digital images, digital audio, digital video, and/or othertypes of electronic documents.

Signal packets and/or frames, also referred to as signal packettransmissions and/or signal frame transmissions, and may be communicatedbetween nodes of a network, where a node may comprise one or morenetwork devices and/or one or more computing devices, for example. As anillustrative example, but without limitation, a node may comprise one ormore sites employing a local network address. Likewise, a device, suchas a network device and/or a computing device, may be associated withthat node. A signal packet and/or frame may, for example, becommunicated via a communication channel and/or a communication pathcomprising a portion of the Internet, from a site via an access nodecoupled to the Internet. Likewise, a signal packet and/or frame may beforwarded via network nodes to a target site coupled to a local network,for example. A signal packet and/or frame communicated via the Internet,for example, may be routed via a path comprising one or more gateways,servers, etc. that may, for example, route a signal packet and/or framein accordance with a target and/or destination address and availabilityof a network path of network nodes to the target and/or destinationaddress. Although the Internet comprises a network of interoperablenetworks, not all of those interoperable networks are necessarilyavailable and/or accessible to the public.

In particular implementations, a network protocol for communicatingbetween devices may be characterized, at least in part, substantially inaccordance with a layered description, such as the so-called OpenSystems Interconnection (OSI) seven layer model. Although physicallyconnecting a network via a hardware bridge is done, a hardware bridgemay not, by itself, typically include a capability of interoperabilityvia higher level layers of a network protocol. A network protocol refersto a set of signaling conventions for computing and/or communicationsbetween and/or among devices in a network, typically network devices;for example, devices that substantially comply with the protocol and/orthat are substantially compatible with the protocol. In this context,the term “between” and/or similar terms are understood to include“among” if appropriate for the particular usage. Likewise, in thiscontext, the terms “compatible with”, “comply with” and/or similar termsare understood to include substantial compliance and/or substantialcompatibility.

Typically, a network protocol, such as protocols characterizedsubstantially in accordance with the aforementioned OSI model, hasseveral layers. These layers may be referred to here as a network stack.Various types of network transmissions may occur across various layers.A lowest level layer in a network stack, such as the so-called physicallayer, may characterize how symbols (e.g., bits and/or bytes) aretransmitted as one or more signals over a physical medium (e.g., twistedpair copper wire, coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, wireless airinterface, combinations thereof, etc.). Progressing to higher-levellayers in a network protocol stack, additional operations may beavailable by initiating network transmissions that are compatible and/orcompliant with a particular network protocol at these higher-levellayers. Therefore, for example, a hardware bridge, by itself, may beunable to forward signal packets to a destination device sincetransmission of signal packets characterized at a higher-layer of anetwork stack may not be supported by a hardware bridge. Althoughhigher-level layers of a network protocol may, for example, affectdevice permissions, user permissions, etc., a hardware bridge, forexample, may typically provide little user control, such as forhigher-level layer operations.

A virtual private network (VPN) may enable a remote device to moresecurely (e.g., more privately) communicate via a local network. Arouter may allow network communications in the form of networktransmissions (e.g., signal packets and/or frames), for example, tooccur from a remote device to a VPN server on a local network. A remotedevice may be authenticated and a VPN server, for example, may create aspecial route between a local network and the remote device through anintervening router. However, a route may be generated and/or alsoregenerate if the remote device is power cycled, for example. Also, aVPN typically may affect a single remote device, for example, in somesituations.

Regarding aspects related to a communications and/or computing network,a wireless network may couple client devices with a network. A wirelessnetwork may employ stand-alone ad-hoc networks, mesh networks, WirelessLAN (WLAN) networks, cellular networks, and/or the like. A wirelessnetwork may further include a system of terminals, gateways, routers,and/or the like coupled by wireless radio links, and/or the like, whichmay move freely, randomly and/or organize themselves arbitrarily, suchthat network topology may change, at times even rapidly. A wirelessnetwork may further employ a plurality of network access technologies,including Long Term Evolution (LTE), WLAN, Wireless Router (WR) mesh,2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation (2G, 3G, or 4G) cellular technology and/orthe like. Network access technologies may enable wide area coverage fordevices, such as client devices with varying degrees of mobility, forexample.

A network may enable radio frequency and/or other wireless typecommunications via a wireless network access technology and/or airinterface, such as Global System for Mobile communication (GSM),Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), General Packet RadioServices (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), 3GPP Long TermEvolution (LTE), LTE Advanced, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access(WCDMA), Bluetooth, ultra wideband (UWB), 802.11b/g/n, and/or the like.A wireless network may include virtually any type of now known and/or tobe developed wireless communication mechanism by which signals may becommunicated between devices, between networks, within a network, and/orthe like.

Communications between a computing device and/or a network device and awireless network may be in accordance with known and/or to be developedcommunication network protocols including, for example, global systemfor mobile communications (GSM), enhanced data rate for GSM evolution(EDGE), 802.11b/g/n, and/or worldwide interoperability for microwaveaccess (WiMAX). A computing device and/or a networking device may alsohave a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, which, for example, maycomprise a detachable smart card that is able to store subscriptioncontent of a user, and/or is also able to store a contact list of theuser. A user may own the computing device and/or networking device ormay otherwise be a user, such as a primary user, for example. Acomputing device may be assigned an address by a wireless networkoperator, a wired network operator, and/or an Internet Service Provider(ISP). For example, an address may comprise a domestic or internationaltelephone number, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and/or one or moreother identifiers. In other embodiments, a communication network may beembodied as a wired network, wireless network, or any combinationsthereof.

A device, such as a computing and/or networking device, may vary interms of capabilities and/or features. Claimed subject matter isintended to cover a wide range of potential variations. For example, adevice may include a numeric keypad and/or other display of limitedfunctionality, such as a monochrome liquid crystal display (LCD) fordisplaying text, for example. In contrast, however, as another example,a web-enabled device may include a physical and/or a virtual keyboard,mass storage, one or more accelerometers, one or more gyroscopes, globalpositioning system (GPS) and/or other location-identifying typecapability, and/or a display with a higher degree of functionality, suchas a touch-sensitive color 2D or 3D display, for example.

A computing and/or network device may include and/or may execute avariety of now known and/or to be developed operating systems,derivatives and/or versions thereof, including personal computeroperating systems, such as a Windows, iOS, Linux, a mobile operatingsystem, such as iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, and/or the like. Acomputing device and/or network device may include and/or may execute avariety of possible applications, such as a client software applicationenabling communication with other devices, such as communicating one ormore messages, such as via protocols suitable for transmission of email,short message service (SMS), and/or multimedia message service (MMS),including via a network, such as a social network including, but notlimited to, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, and/or Google+, toprovide only a few examples. A computing and/or network device may alsoinclude and/or execute a software application to communicate content,such as, for example, textual content, multimedia content, and/or thelike. A computing and/or network device may also include and/or executea software application to perform a variety of possible tasks, such asbrowsing, searching, playing various forms of content, including locallystored and/or streamed video, and/or games such as, but not limited to,fantasy sports leagues. The foregoing is provided merely to illustratethat claimed subject matter is intended to include a wide range ofpossible features and/or capabilities.

A network may also be extended to another device communicating as partof another network, such as via a virtual private network (VPN). Tosupport a VPN, broadcast domain signal transmissions may be forwarded tothe VPN device via another network. For example, a software tunnel maybe created between a logical broadcast domain, and a VPN device.Tunneled traffic may, or may not be encrypted, and a tunneling protocolmay be substantially compliant with and/or substantially compatible withany now known and/or to be developed versions of any of the followingprotocols: IPSec, Transport Layer Security, Datagram Transport LayerSecurity, Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption, Microsoft's Secure SocketTunneling Protocol, Multipath Virtual Private Network, Secure Shell VPN,another existing protocol, and/or another protocol that may bedeveloped.

A network may communicate via signal packets and/or frames, such as in anetwork of participating digital communications. A broadcast domain maybe compliant and/or compatible with, but is not limited to, now knownand/or to be developed versions of any of the following network protocolstacks: ARCNET, AppleTalk, ATM, Bluetooth, DECnet, Ethernet, FDDI, FrameRelay, HIPPI, IEEE 1394, IEEE 802.11, IEEE-488, Internet Protocol Suite,IPX, Myrinet, OSI Protocol Suite, QsNet, RS-232, SPX, System NetworkArchitecture, Token Ring, USB, and/or X.25. A broadcast domain mayemploy, for example, TCP/IP, UDP, NetBEUI, IPX and/or the like. Versionsof the Internet Protocol (IP) may include IPv4, IPv6, other, and/or thelike.

In the preceding description, various aspects of claimed subject matterhave been described. For purposes of explanation, specifics, such asamounts, systems and/or configurations, as examples, were set forth. Inother instances, well-known features were omitted and/or simplified soas not to obscure claimed subject matter. While certain features havebeen illustrated and/or described herein, many modifications,substitutions, changes and/or equivalents will now occur to thoseskilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appendedclaims are intended to cover all modifications and/or changes as fallwithin claimed subject matter.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: identifying, via least one computing device, one or more content objects comprising physical signals or physical states, or a combination thereof, representative of one or more physical attributes obtained from one or more physical objects or events, or a combination thereof; generating one or more virtual physical objects at least in part via transformation, in accordance with one or more virtual physical laws, of the one or more identified content objects to reflect one or more virtual physical attributes that do not exist in a physical world in addition to or as replacement for, or a combination thereof, the one or more physical attributes of the identified content objects, wherein the one or more virtual physical objects comprise binary digital representations of content perceivable by a user; evolving the one or more virtual physical objects over time substantially according to a set of principles specified for a particular virtual environment; and generating user-perceivable output content comprising decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for a corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time via the at least one computing device, wherein the plurality of sequential periods of time comprises a time compression zone for a particular period of time of the plurality of sequential periods of time depicting a discontinuous decrease in velocity for at least one of the one or more virtual physical objects entering the time compression zone.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical signals or physical states, or the combination thereof, comprise sensor measurements, wherein the generating the one or more virtual physical objects comprises generating the one or more virtual physical objects based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating the user-perceivable output content comprising the decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for the corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time includes reducing an amount of detail for less-recently generated and/or inactive virtual physical objects while maintaining a greater amount of detail for more recently generated and/or active virtual physical objects or coalescing a subset of non-active virtual physical objects after a specified period of time, or a combination thereof.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating the one or more virtual physical objects comprises: obtaining the one or more identified content objects from one or more sensors; and injecting the one or more virtual physical objects into the virtual environment.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: evolving the particular virtual environment based at least in part on the set of principles specified for the particular virtual environment and on obtaining further identified content objects; generating graphics content representative of the evolving virtual environment; and displaying the graphics content representative of the evolving virtual environment.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the one or more virtual physical objects comprises assigning the one or more virtual physical attributes to the one or more virtual physical objects substantially in accordance with the one or more virtual physical laws or in accordance with one or more assignment rules, or a combination thereof.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the physical signals or physical states, or the combination thereof, comprise sensor measurements, and wherein the assigning the one or more virtual physical attributes to the one or more virtual physical objects comprises assigning the one or more virtual physical attributes based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the user-perceivable output content comprises generating graphics content, the method further comprising: displaying the generated graphics content; and recognizing a user interaction with the particular virtual environment via one or more interfaces.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising re-physicalizing the user interaction such that the user interaction results in an alteration of one or more aspects of the particular virtual environment.
 10. An apparatus comprising: a computing device to: identify one or more content objects to comprise physical signals or physical states, or a combination thereof, representative of one or more physical attributes to be obtained from one or more physical objects or events, or a combination thereof; generate one or more virtual physical objects based at least in part via transformation, in accordance with one or more virtual physical laws, of the one or more content objects to be identified to reflect one or more virtual physical attributes that do not exist in a physical world in addition to or as replacement for, or a combination thereof, the one or more physical attributes of the content objects to be identified, wherein the one or more virtual physical objects to comprise binary digital representations of content perceivable by a user; evolve the one or more virtual physical objects over time substantially in accordance with a set of principles to be specified for a particular virtual environment; and generate user-perceivable output content to comprise decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for a corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time, wherein the plurality of sequential periods of time to comprise a time compression zone for a particular period of time of the plurality of sequential periods of time depicting a discontinuous decrease in velocity for at least one of the one or more virtual physical objects to enter the time compression zone.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the physical signals or physical states, or the combination thereof, to comprise sensor measurements, wherein the computing device to generate the one or more virtual physical objects based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the user-perceivable output content to comprise the decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for the corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time, reduce an amount of detail for less-recently generated and/or inactive virtual physical objects while maintaining a greater amount of detail for more recently generated and/or active virtual physical objects, or coalesce a subset of non-active virtual physical objects after a specified period of time, or a combination thereof.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computing device further to endow the one or more virtual physical objects with the one or more virtual physical attributes based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein to generate the one or more virtual physical objects, the computing device further to: obtain the one or more content objects to be identified from one or more sensors; and inject the one or more virtual physical objects into the particular virtual environment.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the computing device further to: evolve the particular virtual environment based at least in part on the set of principles to be specified for the particular virtual environment and on obtaining further content objects; generate graphics content representative of the particular virtual environment to be evolved; and display the graphics content representative of the particular virtual environment to be evolved.
 16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computing device further to endow the one or more virtual physical objects with the one or more virtual physical attributes substantially in accordance with the one or more virtual physical laws or in accordance with one or more assignment rules, or a combination thereof.
 17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computing device to generate the graphics content, the computing device further to: display the generated graphics content; and recognize a user interaction with the particular virtual environment via one or more interfaces.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the computing device to re-physicalize the user interaction such that the user interaction to result in an alteration of one or more aspects of the particular virtual environment.
 19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computing device to comprise a game console.
 20. An article comprising: a non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device to: identify one or more content objects to comprise physical signals or physical states, or a combination thereof, representative of one or more physical attributes to be obtained from one or more physical objects or events, or a combination thereof; generate one or more virtual physical objects based at least in part via transformation, in accordance with one or more virtual physical laws, of the one or more content objects to be identified to reflect one or more virtual physical attributes that do not exist in a physical world in addition to or as replacement for, or a combination thereof, the one or more physical attributes of the content objects to be identified, wherein the one or more virtual physical objects to comprise binary digital representations of content perceivable by a user; evolve the one or more virtual physical objects over time substantially in accordance with a set of principles to be specified for a particular virtual environment; and generate user-perceivable output content to comprise decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for a corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time, wherein the plurality of sequential periods of time to comprise a time compression zone for a particular period of time of the plurality of sequential periods of time depicting a discontinuous decrease in velocity for at least one of the one or more virtual physical objects to enter the time compression zone.
 21. The article of claim 20, wherein the physical signals or physical states, or the combination thereof, comprise sensor measurements, wherein the computing device to generate the one or more virtual physical objects based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 22. The article of claim 20, wherein, to generate the user-perceivable output content to comprise the decreasing levels of detail for the one or more virtual physical objects for the corresponding plurality of sequential periods of time, the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to reduce an amount of detail for less-recently generated and/or inactive virtual physical objects and to maintain a greater amount of detail for more recently generated and/or active virtual physical objects, or to coalesce a subset of non-active virtual physical objects after a specified period of time, or a combination thereof.
 23. The article of claim 22, wherein the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to endow the one or more virtual physical objects with the one or more virtual physical attributes based at least in part on the sensor measurements.
 24. The article of claim 22, wherein the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to: obtain the one or more identified content objects to be identified from one or more sensors; and inject the one or more virtual physical objects into the particular virtual environment.
 25. The article of claim 24, wherein the storage medium has stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to: evolve the particular virtual environment based at least in part on the set of principles to be specified for the particular virtual environment and on obtaining further content objects; generate graphics content representative of the particular virtual environment to be evolved; and display the graphics content representative of the particular virtual environment to be evolved.
 26. The article of claim 20, wherein the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to endow the one or more virtual physical objects with the one or more virtual physical attributes substantially in accordance with the one or more virtual physic laws or in accordance with one or more assignment rules, or a combination thereof.
 27. The article of claim 20, wherein the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to generate graphics content, the computing device further to: display the generated graphics content; and recognize a user interaction with the particular virtual environment via one or more interfaces.
 28. The article of claim 27, wherein the storage medium having stored thereon further instructions executable by the computing device to re-physicalize the user interaction such that the user interaction to result in an alteration of one or more aspects of the particular virtual environment. 